Apparatus and methods for selective secondary content insertion in a digital network

ABSTRACT

Apparatus and methods for generating secondary content scheduling and dynamic insertion for users of a managed content distribution network, such as a cable, satellite, of HFCu network. In one embodiment, the secondary content comprises advertising content which is directly related or tied to demographics, psychographics, and/or other metrics of applicability to one or more users of the content distribution network. Individual insertion opportunities are identified (either in advance or dynamically), and relevant or targeted secondary content is dynamically “switched in” for delivery to the one or more users via interaction between a local or client application (e.g., operative on the user&#39;s set top box or personal electronic device) and a switched digital video entity of the network, and subsequently switched out if no longer required, thereby conserving network bandwidth and/or other resources.

COPYRIGHT

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains materialthat is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has noobjection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent documentor the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and TrademarkOffice patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyrightrights whatsoever.

BACKGROUND 1. Technological Field

The present disclosure relates generally to the field of content datadelivery over a network. More particularly, the present disclosure isrelated in one exemplary aspect to apparatus and methods for secondarycontent (e.g., advertising, promotions, etc.) management and provisionwithin a managed content distribution network such as a cable,satellite, or hybrid fiber/copper (HFCu) distribution network.

2. Description of Related Technology

In the context of network services, it is often highly desirable toprovide users or subscribers of the network with ready and instantaccess to a variety of different types of content (e.g., linear orbroadcast content, video-on-demand (VOD), “start-over”, streaming media,etc.), accessible at different locations, and on different platforms(e.g., via set-top box, smart-TV, tablet or smartphone, etc.). In manycases, it is also desirable to provide the same users with “secondary”content (such as e.g., advertisements, promotions or “info-mercials”,related shorts, telescoping information/advertisements, hyperlinks,etc.). The secondary content may be directly or indirectly related tothe “primary” content which the user selected in the first place (suchas via a common theme or context, common persons of interest, commondemographic factors, etc.), or can be totally unrelated.

Delivery of secondary content may comprise a major source of revenue forcommercial television or movie distributors, and for the networkoperator. For example, where the secondary content comprisesadvertisements, it may be a main source of income for nationaltelevision broadcasters and their local over-the-air affiliates. Cable,satellite, HFCu, and other content distribution networks, as well asInternet content providers, also derive income from the sale ofadvertising time and insertion opportunities (and “impressions”associated therewith).

Moreover, an advertiser may seek to maximize the return on theiradvertising investment by targeting specific users or groups of usersthat are likely to be most receptive to the commercial message embodiedin the advertisements. The aforementioned selective “targeting” anddelivery of content to e.g., subscribers in a cable or other MSO-basednetwork is generally well known in the prior art. For example, it may bedesirable to include certain types of advertising at specificdemographic or geographic segments of an MSO's subscriber base. One wayof targeting viewers involves selecting advertisements based on ageographical region in which the advertisement is to be delivered; i.e.,a so-called “advertisement zone”. In other words, it is advantageous toprovide certain advertising content to viewers in one local or regionalarea which is different than that provided to the viewers in a differentlocal or regional area.

For example, the advertisements may be limited by the geographic area inwhich a business operates. Hence, it typically only makes financialsense for an advertisement for that business to be provided ingeographical areas where the business is operated or provides services.Similar logic applies to the demographic, psychographic, and otherplanes; e.g., an advertisement for a super-high end sports car wouldlikely be wasted when delivered to lower- or middle-class households orsubscribers (which may or may not be correlated to geography), as wouldan advertisement for a feminine product delivered to a predominantlymale audience. Additionally, the context of the primary content may notbe compatible with particular types/themes of secondary content (e.g., aVOD movie having a non-violent theme might not mesh optimally withadvertisements for UFC sporting or boxing events, regardless ofdemographics or geography).

One technique for advertising comprises use of so-called “audiencebundles”. Typically, such audience bundles are built to reach a certaindemographic group. Audience bundles are useful when a client (e.g.,advertiser) has a defined demographic or other target, and wantsassurance that their audience is being reached with a certain level offrequency.

One problem commonly encountered in the foregoing scenarios relates todelivery of particularly relevant content to particular users, and atparticular times or relative chronological reference points. Typicalprior art linear advertising delivery approaches (including theaforementioned “bundles”) typically have a very low degree ofgranularity in terms of the target audience; i.e., they may have somedegree of applicability to some of the people watching theadvertisement, but more often than not have little or no applicabilityto a majority of users watching the advertisement, and hence in effectare largely wasted on such viewers. Such low “applicability density” hasobvious drawbacks, including lack of efficacy at reaching desiredsubsets of subscribers, unnecessary network resource consumption, anduser frustration (at having to be exposed to advertisements in whichthey have no interest).

One salient reason for the foregoing lack of applicability ofadvertising is the inability to particularly target it to one individual(or a constrained subset of individuals). Given so many geographicallyand demographically diverse subscribers within a typical MSO'ssubscriber pool, even broadly watched advertisements (e.g., during acontentious Presidential debate or the NFL's Super Bowl) may really haveapplicability to only a relatively small number of subscribers, despitebeing seen by tens of millions of people. Like snowflakes, everysubscriber/household is ostensibly different in some way, and hence intheory the optimal degree of penetration for advertising is viaadvertisements which are uniquely targeted (or at least theirapplicability confirmed) for each user.

Yet determining not only (i) unique attributes or prospective interestsof a given user, and (ii) insertion opportunities when in fact that useris watching and is engaged (i.e., ostensibly paying attention) isextremely challenging at very least. One could conceivably flooddelivery channels (e.g., in-band QAMs) with a plethora of advertisingapplicable to any number of different demographics/psychographics, suchthat something at least partly relevant to most users was alwayspresent, but such approach is both horribly inefficient from abandwidth/network resource conservation perspective, and still suffersfrom the disability of how one would identify and steer a given user tosomething at least generally relevant to them which was then beingdelivered over the network.

Moreover, sometimes the best efficacy of an advertisement is when it isalso contextually relevant; e.g., relates to subject matter theparticular subscriber is watching when the advertisement is presented,and/or relates to a present geographic, psychographic, or other contextthen-relevant to the subscriber (e.g., when the subscriber is in Parison vacation, or has recently returned therefrom, advertisements in someway contextually related to France or French culture may be particularlyinteresting to that subscriber).

Prior art Internet “banner” ads are one technique for attempting todivine a user's interest or context; i.e., by evaluating historicalvisits or clicks of the user on certain topical advertisements orwebsites. However, such approaches are fraught with potential issues,and largely inapplicable to the aforementioned MSO subscriber or otheron-demand user context for a variety of reasons, including for instance:(i) the user may not interact with any links or websites from whichuseful information can be gleaned (e.g., they may simply tune to a givenMSO channel without other interaction); (ii) the user may have merelyinadvertently selected a given link or site, such as by a small fingerplacement error on their tablet or smartphone capacitive touchscreen;and (iii) the user may merely be expressing “morbid curiosity” as itwere for something they find offensive or actually dislike. Hence, suchapproaches have little if any power in making objective assessment of asubscriber's demographic or psychographic profile. Rather, fact-baseddata relating to, inter alia, longer term decisions or activities of theuser such as buying or refinancing a house, buying or leasing a car,traveling to certain locations, purchasing certain items, dining out atcertain restaurants, investing in certain investment vehicles,subscribing to certain services or packages (including those of theMSO), etc. are often far more telling and accurate depictions of a givensubscriber (and/or household) than that obtained from any anecdotal“click-based” sources.

Yet further, the broad variety of different delivery paradigms andtarget platforms further complicates targeting of secondary content. Asindicated above, the typical MSO network includes both linear (e.g.,broadcast, and non-repeatable) content, as well as non-linear contentsuch as streaming IP-based content, VoD, cDVR, start-over, and the like,each of which raise their own particular insertion opportunity anddelivery issues. For example, a linear broadcast schedule may be knownwell in advance of actual broadcast, whereas a stream-based on-demanddelivery modality (e.g., VoD, or web streaming to a user portable deviceover the MSO's web portal or the like) may be completely spurious, andmay stop and start again unpredictably, such as when the user isinterrupted or wants to watch the remainder of a program at a latertime.

Similarly, the subscriber's context using one type of delivery modeversus another may vary; e.g., in the foregoing Paris example, the usermay only have online streaming available to them via an Internetconnection when in Paris, whereas both online streaming and othermodalities (e.g., in-band broadcast delivery via QAM to their digitalset top box (DSTB), as well as VoD, start-over, etc.) may be availablewhen they are home.

Based on the foregoing, there is a salient need for improved methods andapparatus for delivering targeted secondary content within a contentdistribution network. Such improved apparatus and methods would ideally,in exemplary implementations, enable delivery of geographically,demographically, and/or psychographically relevant secondary content toparticular users or subsets of users, and would be based at least partlyon some verifiable data or profile of the user(s), and would also beimplemented without consuming disproportionate amounts of networkresources. Such improved method and apparatus would also ideally beadaptable or able to delivery over different content distributionparadigms, including both linear and non-linear modalities.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure addresses the foregoing needs by disclosing,inter alia, apparatus and methods for secondary content selection andinsertion within a content distribution network infrastructure.

In one aspect of the disclosure, a computerized method of deliveringsecondary content in a content distribution network is disclosed. In oneembodiment, the method includes: identifying one or more secondarycontent elements applicable to a target population of users of thecontent distribution network; identifying one or more insertionopportunities within programming consumed by the target population;causing delivery of the one or more secondary content elements at one ormore of the identified insertion opportunities via selective switching;and causing one or more receiving devices of the target population toaccess the selectively switched one or more secondary content elementsfor at least a period of time.

In one variant, the selective switching comprises switching the one ormore secondary content elements into delivery via a switching apparatusdisposed at a non-central distribution node of the network, theswitching into delivery occurring substantially contemporaneous with astart of the identified one or more insertion opportunities. Theswitching apparatus disposed at a non-central distribution node of thenetwork comprises for example an edge switch of a switched digital video(SDV) delivery architecture.

In another variant, the target population comprises an individualsubscriber or household of the network, and the identifying one or moresecondary content elements applicable to the target population includes:accessing at least a network-side repository of data for data relatingto attributes of the individual or subscriber; and utilizing at leastthe accessed data relating to attributes to correlate the attributes tocorresponding aspects of the one or more secondary content elements.

In a further variant, the target population comprises an individualsubscriber or household of the network, and the identifying one or moreinsertion opportunities within programming consumed by the targetpopulation comprises receiving from an application computer program ormiddleware component operative to run on a receiving device of theindividual subscriber or household a communication indicating the one ormore insertion opportunities within the consumed programming.

In one implementation, the causing one or more receiving devices of thetarget population to access the selectively switched one or moresecondary content elements for at least a period of time comprisestransmitting a communication to respective software processes operativeon the one or more receiving devices, the transmitted communicationcausing the respective software processes to instigate a tune, at aprescribed time, from a current QAM channel to another QAM channel, theanother QAM channel carrying the one or more secondary content elements.

In a second aspect of the disclosure, a computerized method of operatinga content distribution network is disclosed. In one embodiment, themethod includes: identifying one or more secondary content elementsapplicable to a target population of users of the content distributionnetwork; identifying one or more insertion opportunities withinprogramming consumed by the target population, the programming deliveredover a first modulated radio frequency (RF) channel; causing delivery ofthe one or more secondary content elements at one or more of theidentified insertion opportunities via selective switching of the one ormore secondary content elements onto a second modulated RF channel;causing one or more receiving devices of the target population to accessthe selectively switched one or more secondary content elements via thesecond RF channel; and subsequently causing the one or more receivingdevices accessing the selectively switched one or more secondary contentelements to cease accessing the one or more secondary content elementsand return to accessing the programming via the first RF channel. In onevariant, upon a completion of the one or more secondary contentelements, removal of delivery of the one or more content elements viathe second modulated RF channel is performed.

In another variant, at least the (i) causing delivery via selectiveswitching, and (ii) causing removal, cooperate to minimize use of thebandwidth.

In a further variant, the method further comprising causing, during atleast a portion of delivery of the one or more secondary contentelements, removal of at least part of the programming from the firstmodulated RF channel. For example, in one implementation, during atleast a portion of the removal of at least part of the programming fromthe first modulated RF channel, delivery of alternate programming viathe first modulated RF channel is provided.

In another aspect of the disclosure, computer readable apparatus isdisclosed. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a non-transitorystorage medium, the non-transitory medium comprising at least onecomputer program having a plurality of instructions, the instructionsconfigured to, when executed on a processing apparatus: obtain firstdata relating to one or more present or future available advertisinginsertion opportunities within a programming content stream beingdelivered over a content distribution network; receive a communicationfrom a network side process, the communication comprising dataindicating a channel to which to tune for delivery of advertisingappropriate for the one or more opportunities; and cause tuning of areceiver apparatus to the channel at a prescribed time associated withthe one or more insertion opportunities to access the appropriateadvertising.

In one variant, the plurality of instructions are further configured toobtain second data identifying at least a receiver device of a user ofthe content distribution network, and transmit at least a portion of thesecond data to a second network-side process. The second network-sideprocess is configured, for example, to utilize the second data to accessa network account database, the database comprising a plurality of datarelating to demographic factors associated with an account with whichthe receiver device is associated.

In another variant, the at least one computer program further comprisesa computer program configured to: generate impression data relating to areceiver device on which the at least one computer program is operativeto run, the impression data based at least on functional activity withinthe receiver device during use; and cause transmission of the impressiondata to a network-side process via a communication channel. For example,in one implementation, the causation of tuning of a receiver apparatusto the channel to receive the appropriate advertising comprisesaccessing an application programming interface (API) associated withmiddleware of the receiver device, the API configured to cause thereceiving apparatus to tune to a particular radio frequency (RF) channelat the prescribed time.

In one particular configuration, the receipt of the communication from anetwork side process is performed using an in-band RF channel of thenetwork, and the transmission of the impression data is performed usingan out-of-band (OOB) communication channel of the network, e.g., onethat utilizes a connection-less communication protocol.

In another variant, the at least one computer program further compriseslogic configured to: detect that, after the tuning to the channel, theappropriate advertising is not present or available on the channel; andobtain an alternate channel to which to tune the receiver apparatus soas to access second appropriate advertising, and take corrective actionbased thereon; e.g., select second appropriate advertising so as to fitwithin the remaining time period.

In a further aspect of the disclosure, computerized network apparatus isdisclosed. In one embodiment, the apparatus is configured forsubstantially automated insertion of secondary content for use by one ormore users of a managed content distribution network, and includesserver apparatus comprising: processor apparatus; first networkinterface apparatus in data communication with the processor apparatusconfigured to communicate with a secondary content processing entity ofthe managed content distribution network; second network interfaceapparatus in data communication with the processor apparatus andconfigured to communicate with one or more network entities configuredto select appropriate secondary content for respective ones of theplurality of user receiver devices; third network interface apparatus indata communication with the processor apparatus configured tocommunicate with a plurality of user receiver devices via at least oneor more communication channels of the managed content distributionnetwork; and storage apparatus in data communication with the processorapparatus, the storage apparatus comprising at least one computerprogram.

In one variant, the at least one computer program is configure to, whenexecuted on the processor apparatus: receive, via the first networkinterface apparatus, indication of an impending insertion opportunitywithin a program stream being accessed by a particular one of theplurality of receiver devices; receive, via the second network interfaceapparatus, data indicative of a communication channel over which theparticular one receiver device can access secondary content, thesecondary content having been determined to be applicable to thatparticular one receiver device; and transmit, via the third interface,at least a portion of the data indicative of the communication channelto an insertion process of the network, for insertion thereof by theinsertion process within the program stream.

In one implementation, the indication of an impending insertionopportunity within a program stream being accessed by a particular oneof the plurality of receiver devices comprises an SCTE-35 compliant cueissued by a program network entity that is the source of the programstream, and the communication channel comprises a radio frequency (RF)QAM channel accessible to the particular one of the receiver devices viaa switched digital video (SDV) switching device of the contentdistribution network. Insertion of the at least portion of the data bythe insertion process within the program stream comprises insertion intoa program mapping table (PMT) via a splicing process of the contentdistribution network.

In another embodiment, the computerized network apparatus is configuredfor substantially automated selection and insertion of secondarycontent, and includes: first server apparatus comprising: processorapparatus; first network interface apparatus in data communication withthe processor apparatus and configured to communicate with a receiverevaluation entity; second network interface apparatus in datacommunication with the processor apparatus and configured to communicatewith a second server apparatus configured to select appropriatesecondary content for respective ones of the plurality of user receiverdevices; and storage apparatus in data communication with the processorapparatus, the storage apparatus comprising at least one computerprogram. In one implementation, the computer program is configured to,when executed: receive from the receiver evaluation entity via the firstnetwork interface apparatus, data relating to one or more of theplurality of receiver devices; and transmit, via the second interface,at least a portion of the data relating to the one or more receiverdevices for use by the second server apparatus to select appropriatesecondary content.

In another embodiment, the network apparatus further includes a secondserver apparatus comprising: processor apparatus; first networkinterface apparatus in data communication with the processor apparatusof the second server apparatus and configured to communicate with thefirst server apparatus; second network interface apparatus in datacommunication with the processor apparatus of the second serverapparatus and configured to communicate with a third server apparatus;and storage apparatus in data communication with the processor apparatusof the second server apparatus, the storage apparatus comprising atleast one computer program. In one variant, the at least one computerprogram is configured to, when executed: receive from the first serverapparatus the at least portion of the data relating to one or more ofthe plurality of receiver devices; utilize the received at least portionof the data to generate one or more secondary content selectionsappropriate to the one or more receiver devices; obtain the one or moreselected secondary content; and transmit, via the second interface, atleast a portion of the selected and obtained secondary content, to thethird server apparatus.

In another embodiment, the network apparatus includes a third serverapparatus having: processor apparatus; first network interface apparatusin data communication with the processor apparatus of the third serverapparatus and configured to communicate with a secondary contentprocessing entity of the managed content distribution network; secondnetwork interface apparatus in data communication with the processorapparatus of the third server apparatus and configured to communicatewith the second server apparatus to receive the at least portion of theselected secondary content appropriate to the one or more receiverdevices; third network interface apparatus in data communication withthe processor apparatus configured to communicate with a plurality ofuser receiver devices via at least one or more communication channels ofthe managed content distribution network; and storage apparatus in datacommunication with the processor apparatus of the third serverapparatus, the storage apparatus comprising at least one computerprogram. In one implementation, the at least one computer program isconfigured to, when executed: receive, via the first network interfaceapparatus, indication of an impending insertion opportunity within aprogram stream being accessed by a particular one of the plurality ofreceiver devices; receive, via the second network interface apparatus,data indicative of a communication channel over which the particular onereceiver device can access secondary content, the secondary contenthaving been determined to be applicable to that particular one receiverdevice; transmit, via the third interface, at least a portion of thedata indicative of the communication channel to an insertion process ofthe network, for insertion thereof by the insertion process within theprogram stream; and subsequently transmit, via the third interface, atleast a portion of the received secondary content for insertion thereofby the insertion process within the program stream.

In another aspect of the disclosure, a computerized method of deliveringsecondary content in a content distribution network is described. In oneembodiment, the method includes: receiving a message indicate of animpending event within a program stream; based at least on the receivedfirst message, generating a second message and transmitting the secondmessage to a network secondary content management process to alert thesecondary content management process of the impending event; based atleast on the second message, generating via the secondary contentmanagement process a third message relating at least to one or moresource channels over which secondary content is to be delivered, andtransmitting the third message to an insertion process; inserting, viathe insertion process and based at least on the third message, datarelating to the one or more source channels into one or more primarycontent streams; based on a start of the impending event, generating afourth message and transmitting the fourth message to the secondarycontent management process; based at least on the fourth message,generating via the secondary content management process a fifth messagerelating at least to the start of the event, and transmitting the fifthmessage to an insertion process; inserting, via the insertion processand based at least on the fifth message, data indicative of the start ofthe event into the one or more primary content streams; and causingtransmission of the secondary content via the one or more sourcechannels.

In one variant, the method further includes: generating via thesecondary content management process a sixth message relating at leastto an end of the event, and transmitting the sixth message to aninsertion process; inserting, via the insertion process and based atleast on the sixth message, data indicative of the end of the event intothe one or more primary content streams; and causing cessation oftransmission of the secondary content via the one or more sourcechannels. In one implementation, the method yet further includesreceiving via an out-of-band (OOB) channel of the network, dataindicative of a receiver device having tuned to the one or more sourcechannels to receive the secondary content.

In another variant, the first message comprises an SCTE-35-compliantmessage; the second message comprises a simple network message protocol(SNMP) trap message; the third message comprises a client break message;the fourth message comprises a second SNMP trap message; and the fifthand sixth messages each comprise a client trigger message.

In another aspect of the disclosure, a computerized method of accessingsecondary content via a client device of a content distribution networkis described. In one embodiment, the method includes: receiving aprogram stream via at least a first radio frequency (RF) channel of thenetwork; extracting data from the program stream relating at least toone or more source RF channels over which secondary content is to bedelivered; storing the extracted data in a data structure; receiving atrigger event via the program stream; based at least on the receivedtrigger event, causing access of the data structure to obtain at least aportion of the extracted data; utilizing the obtained extracted data toidentify a second radio frequency channel to which to tune a receiverapparatus of the client device; and causing tuning of the receiverapparatus to the second RF channel to access a program stream carryingthe secondary content.

In another aspect of the disclosure, a computerized decision “engine” isdisclosed. In one embodiment, the engine comprises a plurality ofcomputer algorithms operative to run on a computerized platform (e.g.,client device such as set-top box or portable tablet computer orsmartphone) and configured to extract data from in-band program streamsreceived by the device over a network, store the extracted data, andutilize the stored data to access targeted secondary content via aswitched digital video delivery model.

In a further aspect, a data architecture is disclosed.

In a further aspect, a network architecture for use within a managedcontent distribution network is disclosed.

These and other aspects of the disclosure shall become apparent whenconsidered in light of the detailed description provided herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating an exemplary hybridfiber/coax (HFC) cable network configuration useful with the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 1a is a functional block diagram illustrating one exemplary HFCcable network headend configuration useful with the present disclosure.

FIG. 1b is a functional block diagram illustrating one exemplary localservice node configuration useful with the present disclosure.

FIG. 1c is a functional block diagram illustrating one exemplarybroadcast switched or switched digital video (SDV) network architectureuseful with the present disclosure.

FIG. 1d is a functional block diagram illustrating one exemplarypacketized content delivery network architecture useful with the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram illustrating one exemplaryembodiment of a secondary content selection and insertion architectureaccording to the present disclosure, in the context of a managed contentdistribution network.

FIG. 2a is a logical block diagram illustrating exemplary data flowwithin a first embodiment of an addressable secondary content selectionand insertion architecture according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 2b is a logical block diagram illustrating exemplary data flowwithin a second embodiment of an addressable secondary content selectionand insertion architecture, enabling inter alia, secondary contentdelivery via a separate “cloud” entity or content delivery network(CDN).

FIG. 2c is a tabular representation of various exemplary digital programinsertion (DPI) information parameters of the splice_info_sectionaccording to SCTE 35 2016.

FIG. 2d is a functional block diagram illustrating another exemplaryembodiment of a secondary content selection and insertion architectureaccording to the present disclosure, in the context of deliver ofIP-based content streaming to IP-enabled portable or other devices via aCDN.

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram illustrating one exemplaryembodiment of a secondary content server apparatus (e.g., CASU, CPSU,Gateway server, or SDS) for use with the secondary content selection andinsertion architecture of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram illustrating one exemplaryembodiment of client receiver device (DSTB) for use with the secondarycontent selection and insertion architecture of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4a is a logical block diagram illustrating one exemplary embodimentof data flows and interactions between hardware and software componentsof the client receiver device of FIG. 4.

FIG. 4b is a logical block diagram illustrating one exemplary embodimentof signal flows and content conditioning for delivery of targetedsecondary content to a legacy DSTB configured in accordance with thedisclosure.

FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram illustrating another exemplaryembodiment of client receiver device for use with the secondary contentselection and insertion architecture of FIG. 2, wherein a client mobiledevice communicates with a DOCSIS-enabled cable modem (CM).

FIG. 6 is a logical flow diagram illustrating one embodiment of ageneralized method of selecting and providing targeted secondary contentaccording to the present disclosure.

FIG. 6a is a logical flow diagram illustrating one particularimplementation of the generalized method of FIG. 6, in the context of acable television network providing linear or non-linear programmingservices to a plurality of legacy DSTBs.

FIG. 6b is a logical flow diagram illustrating another particularimplementation of the generalized method of FIG. 6, in the context of acable television network providing IP-based streaming content servicesto subscribers via a portable tablet or smartphone, or “Smart TV”.

All figures © Copyright 2016 Charter Communications, Inc. All rightsreserved.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference is now made to the drawings wherein like numerals refer tolike parts throughout.

As used herein, the term “advertising zone” may include the delivery ofadvertisements, promotions, or other secondary content with an actualgeographic zone, a demographic “zone” or logical space, a psychographiczone or logical space, a user-based preference space, aprimary/secondary content context space, and so forth.

As used herein, the term “application” refers generally to a unit ofexecutable software that implements a certain functionality or theme.The themes of applications vary broadly across any number of disciplinesand functions (such as on-demand content management, e-commercetransactions, brokerage transactions, home entertainment, calculatoretc.), and one application may have more than one theme. The unit ofexecutable software generally runs in a predetermined environment; forexample, the unit could comprise a downloadable Java Xlet™ that runswithin the JavaTV™ environment.

As used herein, the term “client device” includes, but is not limitedto, digital set-top boxes (e.g., DSTBs), personal computers (PCs), andminicomputers, whether desktop, laptop, or otherwise, and mobile devicessuch as handheld computers, tablets, phablets, personal digitalassistants (PDAs), personal media devices (PMDs), and smartphones.

As used herein, the term “computer program” or “software” is meant toinclude any sequence or human or machine cognizable steps which performa function. Such program may be rendered in virtually any programminglanguage or environment including, for example, Python, C/C++, Fortran,COBOL, PASCAL, assembly language, markup languages (e.g., HTML, SGML,XML, VoXML), and the like, as well as object-oriented environments suchas the Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA), Java™(including J2ME, Java Beans, etc.), Binary Runtime Environment (e.g.,BREW), C#, and the like.

The terms “consumer premises equipment” (CPE) and “consumer device”refer without limitation to any type of electronic equipment for usewithin a consumer's or user's premises and connected to a contentdistribution network. The term “consumer device” includes terminaldevices that have access to digital television content via a satellite,cable, or terrestrial network. The term “consumer premises equipment”(CPE) includes such electronic equipment such as set-top boxes (e.g.,DSTBs or IPTV devices), televisions, cable modems (CMs), embeddedmultimedia terminal adapters (eMTAs), whether stand-alone or integratedwith other devices, digital video recorders (DVR), gateway storagedevices, and ITV personal computers.

As used herein, the term “database” refers generally to one or moretangible or virtual data storage locations, which may or may not bephysically co-located with each other or other system components.

As used herein, the term “DOCSIS” refers to any of the existing orplanned variants of the Data Over Cable Services InterfaceSpecification, including for example DOCSIS versions 1.0, 1.1, 2.0, 3.0and 3.1. DOCSIS (version 1.0) is a standard and protocol for internetaccess using a “digital” cable network.

As used herein, the terms “Internet” and “internet” are usedinterchangeably to refer to inter-networks including, withoutlimitation, the Internet.

As used herein, the terms “microprocessor” and “digital processor” aremeant generally to include all types of digital processing devicesincluding, without limitation, digital signal processors (DSPs), reducedinstruction set computers (RISC), general-purpose complex instructionset computing (CISC) processors, microprocessors, gate arrays (e.g.,FPGAs), PLDs, reconfigurable compute fabrics (RCFs), array processors,and application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). Such digitalprocessors may be contained on a single unitary IC die, or distributedacross multiple components.

As used herein, the terms “MSO” or “multiple systems operator” refer toa cable, satellite, or terrestrial network provider havinginfrastructure required to deliver services including programming anddata over those mediums.

As used herein, the term “network content provider” refers generally andwithout limitation to any content service provider or content-providinglogical “network” such as e.g., ABC, NBC, CBS, etc., regardless ofdelivery platform or underlying content distribution networkinfrastructure (see below).

As used herein, the terms “network” and “bearer network” (distinguishedfrom “network content provider” supra) refer generally to any type oftelecommunications or data network including, without limitation, hybridfiber coax (HFC) networks, satellite networks, telco networks, and datanetworks (including MANs, WANs, LANs, WLANs, internets, and intranets).Such networks or portions thereof may utilize any one or more differenttopologies (e.g., ring, bus, star, loop, etc.), transmission media(e.g., wired/RF cable, RF wireless, millimeter wave, optical, etc.)and/or communications or networking protocols (e.g., SONET, DOCSIS, IEEEStd. 802.3, ATM, X.25, Frame Relay, 3GPP, 3GPP2, WAP, SIP, UDP, FTP,RTP/RTCP, H.323, etc.).

As used herein, the term “network interface” refers to any signal, data,or software interface with a component, network or process including,without limitation, those of the FireWire (e.g., FW400, FW800, etc.),USB (e.g., USB2, USB 3.0), Ethernet (e.g., 10/100, 10/100/1000 (GigabitEthernet), 10-Gig-E, etc.), MoCA, Coaxsys (e.g., TVnet™), radiofrequency tuner (e.g., in-band or OOB, cable modem, etc.), Wi-Fi(802.11), WiMAX (802.16), PAN (e.g., 802.15), cellular (e.g., LTE/LTE-A,3GPP, 3GPP2, UMTS), or IrDA families.

As used herein, the terms “personal media device” and “PMD” refer to,without limitation, any device, whether portable or otherwise, capableof storing and/or rendering media.

As used herein, the term “secondary content” refers without limitationto content other than primary programming content, such as e.g.,advertisements, promotions, “telescoping” content, info-mercials,trailers, icons or animated overlays, etc. which may be presented eitheralone or in conjunction with the primary (or yet other) content.

As used herein, the term “server” refers to, without limitation, anycomputerized component, system or entity regardless of form which isadapted to provide data, files, applications, content, or other servicesto one or more other devices or entities on a computer network.

As used herein, the term “user interface” refers to, without limitation,any visual, graphical, tactile, audible, sensory, or other means ofproviding information to and/or receiving information from a user orother entity.

As used herein, the term “Wi-Fi” refers to, without limitation, any ofthe variants of IEEE-Std. 802.11 or related standards including 802.11a/b/g/n/s/v/ac or 802.11-2012, as well as so-called “Wi-Fi Direct”, eachof the foregoing incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

As used herein, the term “wireless” means any wireless signal, data,communication, or other interface including without limitation Wi-Fi,Bluetooth, 3G (3GPP/3GPP2), HSDPA/HSUPA, TDMA, CDMA (e.g., IS-95A,WCDMA, etc.), FHSS, DSSS, GSM, PAN/802.15, WiMAX (802.16), 802.20,Zigbee, RFID/NFC, narrowband/FDMA, OFDM, PCS/DCS, LTE/LTE-A, analogcellular, CDPD, satellite systems, millimeter wave or microwave systems,acoustic, and infrared (i.e., IrDA).

Overview

In one salient aspect, the present disclosure provides apparatus andmethods for substantially automatically selecting and insertingsecondary content (e.g., advertising) which is particularly targeted toone or more users of a managed content distribution network such as acable, satellite, of HFCu network.

In one exemplary embodiment, the methods an apparatus disclosed hereinleverage extant network infrastructure, including so-called “switcheddigital video” or SDV capability, to efficiently identify insertionopportunities within programming or other content being delivered to thetargeted user(s), select appropriate advertising content, and causeplacement of the advertising content onto an SDV channel accessible bythe targeted user(s). In one implementation, a software component(decision engine) resident on each user's set-top box or other mediareceiver communicates with network-side entities to identify theplacement opportunities, and receive device-specific “targeting”instructions (e.g., particular SDV RF channels and related data) for usein conjunction with the identified opportunities. Upon reaching thetargeted insertion opportunity, the software utilizes extant interfaces(e.g., middleware on the set-top box) to cause tuning of the device tothe appropriate SDV channel at the appropriate time, and subsequenttuning back to the (primary) content program stream upon completion ofthe advertisement.

In another implementation, the client-side decision engine is configuredwith additional intelligence, such that it can use audience segmentationprofiles or other data to indigenously correlate certain availablesecondary content with a particular receiver device or household, ineffect making the targeting decision locally.

Notably, in the exemplary embodiment, the targeted advertisements areonly placed onto the relevant SDV channel when they are needed (e.g.,there is an opportunity and an advertisement relevant to the particulartargeted receiver device and which fits within the allotted time), andin a “just-in-time” fashion, so that bandwidth consumption within thenetwork is minimized. Economies of scale may also be created wheremultiple different users are viewing the same primary program stream,and have similar demographic and/or psychographic profiles wherein acommon advertisement can be used for each; in such cases, multiple userscan be tuned (by their respective software components) to a common SDVchannel to simultaneous receive the targeted advertisement(s).

In alternate embodiments, targeted advertising is delivered via IP-basedstreaming to a user's IP-enabled mobile device or Smart TV via the MSO'sdata services. In one such implementation, the user's IP-enabled deviceis equipped with a an application program (decision engine comparable tothat described above) receives notification via the IP streaming mediaof insertion opportunities; the decision engine then instructs theIP-enabled device to access a URL of a secondary content source (e.g.,third party web server) where appropriate secondary content for theIP-enabled device (and/or associated subscriber or household) isavailable. Upon completion, the media stream is switched back to theprimary content URL.

Advantageously, some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosurealso maximally leverage extant network advertising and otherinfrastructure, thereby making upgrade or addition of the variousdescribed functionalities substantially “drop in”, and obviatingsignificant component retrofits or replacement (i.e., much isaccomplished via software/firmware updates or downloads).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Exemplary embodiments of the apparatus and methods of the presentdisclosure are now described in detail. While these exemplaryembodiments are described in the context of a managed contentdistribution network (e.g., hybrid fiber coax (HFC) cable) architecturehaving a multiple systems operator, digital networking capability, andplurality of client devices/CPE, and

Internet delivery via e.g., RF QAM and DOCSIS cable modem, the generalprinciples and advantages of the disclosure may be extended to othertypes of networks, architectures and applications, whether broadband,narrowband, wired or wireless, terrestrial or satellite, managed orunmanaged (or combinations thereof), or otherwise, the followingtherefore being merely exemplary in nature.

It will also be appreciated that while described generally in thecontext of a network providing service to a customer or consumer or enduser (i.e., residential), the present disclosure may be readily adaptedto other types of environments including, e.g., commercial/retail, orenterprise domain (e.g., businesses), and government/militaryapplications. Myriad other applications are possible.

Also, while certain aspects are described primarily in the context ofthe well-known Internet Protocol (described in, inter alia, InternetProtocol DARPA Internet Program Protocol Specification, IETF RCF 791(September 1981) and Deering et al., Internet Protocol, Version 6 (Ipv6)Specification, IETF RFC 2460 (December 1998), each of which isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety), it will beappreciated that the present disclosure may utilize other types ofprotocols (and in fact bearer networks to include other internets andintranets) to implement the described functionality.

Other features and advantages of the present disclosure, includingimprovements to computerized technology, will immediately be recognizedby persons of ordinary skill in the art with reference to the attacheddrawings and detailed description of exemplary embodiments as givenbelow.

Managed Service Provider Network—

FIG. 1 illustrates a typical service provider network configurationuseful with the features of the automated secondary content selectionand insertion system described herein. The various components of theexemplary embodiment of the network 100 include (i) one or more data andapplication origination sources 102; (ii) one or more content sources103, (iii) one or more application distribution servers 104; (iv) one ormore VOD servers 105, (v) client devices and/or Customer PremisesEquipment (CPE) 106, (vi) one or more routers 108, (vii) one or morewireless access point controllers 110 (may be placed more locally asshown or in the headend or core” portion of network), (viii) one or morecable modems 112, and/or (ix) one or more access points 114. Thedistribution server(s) 104, VOD servers 105 and CPE/client device(s) 106are connected via a bearer (e.g., HFC) network 101. A simplearchitecture comprising one of each of certain components 102, 103, 104,105, 108, 110 is shown in FIG. 1 for simplicity, although it will berecognized that comparable architectures with multiple originationsources, distribution servers, VOD servers, controllers, and/or clientdevices (as well as different network topologies) may be utilizedconsistent with the present disclosure. For example, the headendarchitecture of FIG. 1a (described in greater detail below), or others,may be used.

FIG. 1a shows one exemplary embodiment of a headend architecture. Asshown in FIG. 1a , the headend architecture 150 comprises typicalheadend components and services including billing module 152, subscribermanagement system (SMS) and client/CPE configuration management module154, cable modem termination system (CMTS) and OOB system 156, as wellas LAN(s) 158, 160 placing the various components in data communicationwith one another. It will be appreciated that while a bar or bus LANtopology is illustrated, any number of other arrangements as previouslyreferenced (e.g., ring, star, etc.) may be used consistent with thedisclosure. It will also be appreciated that the headend configurationdepicted in FIG. 1a is high-level, conceptual architecture, and thateach MSO may have multiple headends deployed using custom architectures.

Moreover, the functions described below with respect to FIGS. 2-3 can be(i) co-located at one or more centralized locations within the network(e.g., at one or more regional headends, or national “super” headends),(i) distributed throughout various disparate locations of theMSO-managed network; or (iii) distributed at various locations withinand external to the MSO-managed network (e.g., use assets, sources, etc.which are maintained by one or more third party data sources orproviders).

The exemplary architecture 150 of FIG. 1a further includes a conditionalaccess system (CAS) 157 and a multiplexer-encrypter-modulator (MEM) 162coupled to the HFC network 101 adapted to process or condition content(including e.g., secondary content such as advertisements) fortransmission over the network. The distribution servers 164 are coupledto the LAN 160, which provides access to the MEM 162 and network 101 viaone or more file servers 170. The VOD servers 105 are coupled to the LAN160 as well, although other architectures may be employed (such as forexample where the VOD servers are associated with a core switchingdevice such as an 802.3z Gigabit Ethernet device). As previouslydescribed, information is carried across multiple channels. Thus, theheadend must be adapted to acquire the information for the carriedchannels from various sources. Typically, the channels being deliveredfrom the headend 150 to the client devices/CPE 106 (“downstream”) aremultiplexed together in the headend, as previously described and sent toneighborhood hubs (as shown in the exemplary scheme of FIG. 1b ) via avariety of interposed network components.

Content (e.g., audio, video, data, files, etc.) is provided in eachdownstream (in-band) channel associated with the relevant service group.To communicate with the headend or intermediary node (e.g., hub server),the client devices/CPE 106 may use the out-of-band (OOB) or DOCSISchannels and associated protocols, although the present disclosure is inno way limited to these approaches.

FIG. 1c illustrates an exemplary “switched” network architecture.Specifically, the headend 150 contains switched broadcast control 190and media path functions 192; these element cooperating to control andfeed, respectively, downstream or edge switching devices 194 at the hubsite which are used to selectively switch broadcast streams to variousservice groups. Broadcast switched architecture (BSA, also referred toas “Switched Digital Video” or SDV) media path 192 may include a stagingprocessor 195, source programs, and bulk encryption in communicationwith a switch 275. A BSA/SDV server 196 is also disposed at the hubsite, and implements functions related to switching and bandwidthconservation (in conjunction with a management entity 198 disposed atthe headend). An optical transport ring 197 is utilized to distributethe dense wave-division multiplexed (DWDM) optical signals to each hubin an efficient fashion.

In addition to “broadcast” content (e.g., video programming), thesystems of FIGS. 1a and 1c (and 1 d discussed below) also deliverInternet data services using the Internet protocol (IP), although otherprotocols and transport mechanisms of the type well known in the digitalcommunication art may be substituted. One exemplary delivery paradigmcomprises delivering MPEG-based video content, with the videotransported to user client devices (including IP-based STBs orIP-enabled consumer devices) over the aforementioned DOCSIS channelscomprising MPEG (or other video codec such as H.264 or AVC) over IP overMPEG. That is, the higher layer MPEG- or other encoded content isencapsulated using an IP protocol, which then utilizes an MPEGpacketization of the type well known in the art for delivery over the RFchannels. In this fashion, a parallel delivery mode to the normalbroadcast delivery exists; i.e., delivery of video content both overtraditional downstream QAMs to the tuner of the user's STB or otherreceiver device for viewing on the television, and also as packetized IPdata over the DOCSIS QAMs to the user's client device or otherIP-enabled device via the user's cable modem. Delivery in suchpacketized modes may be unicast, multicast, or broadcast.

Referring again to FIG. 1c , the IP packets associated with Internetservices are received by the edge switch 194, and in one embodimentforwarded to the cable modem termination system (CMTS) 199. The CMTSexamines the packets, and forwards packets intended for the localnetwork to the edge switch 194. Other packets are discarded or routed toanother component. As an aside, a cable modem is used to interface witha network counterpart (e.g., CMTS) so as to permit two-way broadbanddata service between the network and users within a given service group,such service which may be symmetric or asymmetric as desired (e.g.,downstream bandwidth/capabilities/configurations may or may not bedifferent than those of the upstream).

The edge switch 194 forwards the packets received from the CMTS 199 tothe QAM modulator, which transmits the packets on one or more physical(QAM-modulated RF) channels to the CPE/client devices. The IP packetsare typically transmitted on RF channels (e.g., DOCSIS QAMs) that aredifferent that the RF channels used for the broadcast video and audioprogramming, although this is not a requirement. The client devices/CPE106 are each configured to monitor the particular assigned RF channel(such as via a port or socket ID/address, or other such mechanism) forIP packets intended for the subscriber premises/address that they serve.For example, in one embodiment, a business customer premises obtains itsInternet access (such as for a connected Wi-Fi AP) via a DOCSIS cablemodem or other device capable of utilizing the cable “drop” to thepremises (e.g., a premises gateway, etc.); see the discussion of FIG. 5presented infra.

While the foregoing network architectures described herein can (and infact do) carry packetized content (e.g., IP over MPEG for high-speeddata or Internet TV, MPEG2 packet content over QAM for MPTS, etc.), theyare often not optimized for such delivery. Hence, in accordance withanother embodiment of the disclosure, a “packet optimized” deliverynetwork is used for carriage of the packet content (e.g., Internet data,IPTV content, etc.). FIG. 1d illustrates one exemplary implementation ofsuch a network, in the context of a 3GPP IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem)network with common control plane and service delivery platform (SDP),as described in co-owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/764,746filed Apr. 21, 2010 and entitled “METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR PACKETIZEDCONTENT DELIVERY OVER A CONTENT DELIVERY NETWORK”, which is nowpublished as U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0103374 of thesame title, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 10,264,029 on Apr. 16, 2019,incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Such a networkprovides, inter alia, significant enhancements in terms of commoncontrol of different services, implementation and management of contentdelivery sessions according to unicast or multicast models, etc.;however, it is appreciated that the various features of the presentdisclosure are in no way limited to this or any of the other foregoingarchitectures.

Secondary Content Selection and Insertion Architecture—

Referring now to FIG. 2, one embodiment of a network-based secondarycontent selection and insertion architecture according to the presentdisclosure is described. As shown, the architecture 200 includes anumber of different components, including a CASU (Client AdvertisingServer Unit) 204, which generally manages signaling to the DSTBs 220 andstreams addressable advertising copy; a CPSU (Client Profile ServerUnit) 206 which manages OOB interactions with the DSTBs, includingaudience “segmentation” profiles (downstream) and impression managementand reporting (upstream); an SDS (Secure Data Server) 216 which hashesclient device identifying information (e.g., DSTB or CM MAC addresses)and household identifiers for use by an advertising campaign management“cloud” entity (described in greater detail below); a Gateway Server(GS) 212, which manages linear content schedules and verification files;a Media Hub Server 202, which functions as a “store and forward” serverfor addressable advertisement copy and instructions, and a DecisionEngine (DE) 222 disposed on each of the relevant or participating clientdevices 220, which inter alia, manages switching to/from addressableadvertising copy, and produces impression reporting.

Also shown in FIG. 2 are a traffic and billing server 214, anadvertising server 208 (responsible for signaling and managing insertionevents in accordance with scheduling information received from the GS212, including generation of SCTE-30 insertion messages sent to/from theMPEG splicer 210 via e.g., the UDP (user datagram protocol; RFC 768),the latter which receives MPEG-encoded content streams (e.g.,programming or other “primary” content) from one or more content sourcesvia the multi-program transport stream (MPTS). A QAM modulator bank 211modulates the program streams (including inserted secondary contentprovided by the CASU 204, also according to the UDP in the exemplaryembodiment) onto the downstream RF channels using QAM (quadratureamplitude modulation) for transmission over the interposed HFCdistribution network 201 to the various client devices 220.

In one implementation, one or more “advertising feeder programs” aredesignated within the SDV system. In one embodiment, these feederprograms are configured as Source ID's, which are recognized by theswitched digital (SDV) delivery system as a source video feed where thesecondary content (e.g., advertisements) will be placed when required,based on the triggering mechanism(s) described elsewhere herein. In oneimplementation, the “targeted” secondary content is placed in the “open”switched digital bandwidth pool, and do not “hard allocate” particularRF frequencies to the secondary content. This approach is used, interalia, so as to utilize or share the physical (QAM) resources with theswitched digital system, such sharing which promotes more efficientutilization of resources as a whole within the network. Notwithstanding,it is appreciated that such hard-allocation (e.g., of one or moreparticular frequencies or QAMs), such as to only carry secondarycontent, may be utilized consistent with the present disclosure ifdesired, whether alone or in conjunction with the “open pool” approachpreviously described, such as where a limited number of the availableQAMs are hard-allocated, while the great preponderance are left “open.”

The relevant DE 222 of the DSTB 220 is configured to request a specificadvertising feeder program every time it wants to switch to anaddressable advertisement, thereby acting as a priori “designated pointof entry” for each individual DSTB or customer account (or other uniqueidentifier, including particular individuals associated with aparticular account when their identity as being a viewer can beascertained). Logic within the SDV system conducts necessary mapping toa given service group (SG), edge QAM frequency, etc. to effect deliveryof the designated secondary content to that particular DSTB 220.Advantageously, the foregoing approach both (i) requires (smaller)modifications to the CASU 204, DE 222, and SDV client API 224, and (ii)reduces the total required bandwidth (even with an assumed 2% collisionrate), depending on service group sizes. Specifically, the foregoingapproach bypasses the need to continuously reserve bandwidth resourcesfor secondary content when such resources can be used elsewhere forprimary video delivery; rather, they can merely be switched-in orswitched-out dynamically without such reservation process and itsassociated complexity.

It is also recognized that SDV advertisements within a service group(SG) of the network are not continuous. By adding linear advertisements,which only play a comparatively short time (e.g., on the order ofseconds or a minute), QAM resources within the service group can be moreefficiently utilized.

In the exemplary embodiment, the amount of bandwidth needed forsecondary content delivery depends on the combination of: (i) the totaladdressable linear channels; (ii) the amount of overlap in the existingsecondary content schedules between content networks (aka “collisionrate”); and (iii) the percentage of the secondary content schedule thatwill be made addressable (for example, a higher percentage of theschedule made addressable requires more bandwidth than having a lowerpercentage of the schedule be addressable). In one implementation, thisrelationship can generally be represented by Eqn: (1):BW _(r)=(BW _(bi) ×n _(abi) ×n _(azi) ×n _(avi))+(BW _(bj) ×n _(abj) ×n_(azj) ×n _(avj))  Eqn. (1)

wherein:

-   -   BW_(r)=Total Bandwidth required for addressable advertisement        schedule    -   BW_(bi,j)=Baseline (e.g., Standard Definition or HD) bandwidth        required for advertisement    -   n_(abi,j)=Number of simultaneously occurring advertisement        breaks    -   n_(azi,j)=Number of advertising zones    -   n_(avi,j)=Number of addressable advertisement variants

So, as an illustration of the foregoing, two (2) advertisements run in agiven break with three (3) variants each and supporting HD & SDplacements in 6 advertising zones would require 2×3×6=36×baseline (SD)advertising bandwidth+36×HD advertising bandwidth, or 36+(4×36)=180×SDbandwidth (assuming HD=4×SD BW). Hence, under a reservation-basedscheme, appreciable amounts of bandwidth would need to be reserved toaccommodate the foregoing schedule, whereas in the SDV implementation,such bandwidth is only accessed/consumed when needed. In the exemplaryspecific implementation of the architecture 200 of FIG. 2, the Assigneehereof estimates bandwidth requirements at: (i) 68.4 Mbps from the CASU204 to the QAMs 211 per advertising zone (i.e., 2 SD Channels*2.4 Mbps*3addressable variants per channel*1 source ID per variant=14.4 Mbps, plus2 HD Channels*9 Mbps*3 addressable variants per channel*1 source ID pervariant=54 Mbps); and (ii) 1 Mbps between all STB client devices 220 andthe CPSU 206 (which includes, per STB: segmentation messages (20 bytes),impression messages (100 bytes), status messages (200 bytes), and an ACKmessage (20 bytes), and therefore a single round trip total of 340bytes).

A third-party campaign management server 218 is also shown,communicating with the SDS 216 in the exemplary embodiment via a VPN(virtual private network) “tunnel” so as to protect the transmitted(sensitive) data flowing between the MSO and the third-party advertisingcampaign management service. Hence, in the illustrated embodiment, manyof the higher-level or strategic campaign management functions areallocated to a non-MSO entity, while the “tactical” insertion ofparticular secondary content within program streams delivered toparticular receiver devices/households is handled by the MSOinfrastructure. So, for example, and advertiser (e.g., car maker) whowants to maximize their penetration into the subset of MSO subscriberswho might have interest in their cars could simply communicate suchdesire to the third-party campaign manager, who then structures acampaign for delivery to “targeted” MSO subscribers (e.g., those whohave previously purchased or leased a car from the car maker, haveexpressed interest in their cars, etc.) as determined by thereceiver/household profile (described in greater detail below).

As shown, the architecture 200 of FIG. 2 also includes amodulation/demodulation apparatus, such as e.g., an RPD/OM (return pathdemodulator/out-of-band modulator) infrastructure 240 used for OOBcommunication with the various DSTBs 220 (and their DE processes 222)to, inter alia, support SDV channel-change operations. The CPSU 206 inthe illustrated embodiment both passes generated profiledata/recommendations to the DE via the demodulator/modulator apparatus240, and receives reporting data (e.g., impression reports, discussed ingreater detail below) from the DE 222 via the apparatus 240.

Additionally, on the client device side, the DSTB 220 further includes aswitch engine or API (application programming interface) 224 with whichthe DE conducts inter-process communication so as to effect contentdelivery “switches” (i.e., per the SDV infrastructure of the MSOnetwork, as shown in FIG. 1c ). See the discussion of FIG. 4a below foradditional detail on this API.

The foregoing components are in one embodiment each in datacommunication with one another via a LAN/WAN/MAN 160 (see FIG. 3),thereby enabling each of the components to be disposed at disparatelocations if desired or required. For instance, in one exemplaryimplementation, a substantially centralized approach is used, whereinall the CASU servers 204 within the MSO's network are located at one ormore master or “super” headends (MHE/SHEs), whereas the SDS 216, hub202, and CPSU 206 are located at one or more respective regional datacenters (RDCs).

Alternatively, in a localized (decentralized) approach, all the CASUservers 204 for the MSO are located in the respective (local) headend.Each CASU server 204 is accordingly configured for one advertising zone.In addition, the SDS 216, hub 202, and CPSU 206 are also located withinthe same (respective) headend. Various permutations of the foregoing arealso envisaged by the present disclosure.

Moreover, while the architecture 200 of FIG. 2 illustrates basically anMSO-based system, one or more of the foregoing components may bethird-party owned or operated.

Referring now to FIG. 2a , a logical block diagram illustratingexemplary data flow within a first embodiment of an addressablesecondary content selection and insertion architecture according to thepresent disclosure is shown. In this embodiment, the architecture 200 ofFIG. 2 is utilized.

As shown, the various entities of the architecture 200 transfer varioustypes of data structures (e.g., .ser and .ver files, encoded videoadvertising content, and other data files) between themselves to effectthe functions of (i) secondary content selection, and (ii) secondarycontent insertion within extant program streams delivered to particularreceiver devices 220.

The architecture of FIG. 2a makes use of one or more indigenous MSOadvertising servers 208 to provide e.g., SCTE-130 communications withthe MPEG digital splicer 210. A video library 244 is also provided,which communicates with the advertising server 208. In one exemplaryimplementation, the video library 233 comprises a commodity storagecomponent (or set of components) that is used to store “pre-processed”secondary content to be used by the addressable system through deliveryto the advertising server (see FIG. 2b ).

FIG. 2b is a logical block diagram illustrating exemplary data flowwithin a second embodiment of an addressable secondary content selectionand insertion architecture, enabling inter alia, secondary contentdelivery via a separate “cloud” entity or content delivery network(CDN). In contrast to the architecture of FIG. 2a , the logical flowsand components within FIG. 2b rely on a third-party advertising server256 which is outside of the MSO network infrastructure (which as shownby the dotted lines in FIG. 2b , may be logically and/or physicallyintegrated with the MSO advertising server 208). As shown, the server256 communicates with the GS 212 to receive advertising “copy” or mediaand instructions, as well as audience segmentation data, and provideimpression data garnered from the various client devices 220, yet alsocommunicates with an external CDN (e.g., managed internetwork or othernon-MSO infrastructure) for delivery of the advertising copy to theclient devices, as well as delivery of content to the video library 244.

In one exemplary scenario, the extant content channels (and the SCTE 35or other cues present therein) are replaced by a customized linearaddressable cue (described in greater detail below); however, instead ofhaving the advertisements be present on the local video library 244, athird-party advertisement agency or content provider is used todynamically supply advertising content via the CDN 254 for placementinto the linear feed, such dynamic supply being based on e.g., variouspredetermined business rules.

In one implementation, the incoming programming content (e.g., from acontent network or source) includes inserted SCTE-35 cues; these cuesare removed and replaced with a customized linear addressablecounterpart cue structured specifically to useable by the clientapplication on linear-addressable enabled devices (e.g., DSTBs) ofnetwork subscribers, such as the client 220 of FIG. 2. The replacementcue is structured consistent with the requirements of SCTE-35; however,particular values are inserted into one or more fields of thereplacement cue to identify it to the client application components 222,224 as being a linear addressable cue (and hence invoking the client toimplement the previously provided profile logic to, for example, causethe client device 220 to switch to the designated advertising contentvia the SDV system.

In the exemplary implementation, the DPI (digital program insertion)packet identifier or PID is sourced from the CASU 204 (FIG. 2), and isindicative of the relevant advertisement schedules and spot information,which is managed by an MSO-based or third-party service or process. Therelevant PID(s) is/are added via an advertising processing and insertiondevice within the network (e.g., a CAP-1000 manufactured by ArrisCorporation). Specifically, in this embodiment, a plurality of data bitsare inserted in the splice information section of the DPI PIDs (see,inter alia, Section 6.5 of SCTE Standard SCTE 35 2016, incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety and FIG. 2c herein, showingparameters of the splice_info_section according to SCTE 35 2016), thatare set according to the SCTE-35 section syntax for MPEG “short forms”or “short sections”. Particularly, the splice_info_section is encoded asa one byte table_id (set to xFC) followed by the one bitsection_syntax_indicator (0) and one bit private_indicator (0); see FIG.2c . The two bits that are “reserved” in the splice_info_section are setto 1 in accordance with the specification, followed by the 12 bitsection length parameter and the message data (along with any relevantnational advertisement information).

The “linear addressable” encoded SCTE-35 cue is then mixed into thetransport stream (TS) stream via the splicer 210 (with a different PID;e.g., hexadecimal 0x86), so that the client application/decision engine222 on the relevant client devices can access the stream designated bythat PID (i.e., the targeted advertisement) in advance of the beginningof the advertising spot, so as to render a substantially seamlesstransition for the client device user.

Non-Linear Variants—

It will also be appreciated that the methods and apparatus describedherein can be readily adapted for use with non-linear delivery paradigmssuch as e.g., VOD (video on demand). In one such variant, non-linearcontent-related delivery includes inserted breaks or cues similar to thelinear content. Although primarily envisaged as “commercial free”, suchnon-linear content can be encoded with breaks for advertisements orother secondary content either by the content source or the MSO, such asfor example for use with non-premium or free content streaming by theMSO. For instance, the MSO might upcharge for “commercial free” VoD orStart Over functionality, whereas that with the commercial breaks mightbe offered at a reduced monthly or one-time rate, or even free or asconsideration for some other service provided by the subscriber (e.g.,participating in a survey).

In one implementation, the non-linear content (e.g., VOD movie or TVepisode) is characterized, whether by the MSO or an upstream contentsource or processing entity, as to one or more insertion opportunitiestherein (e.g., is parsed into segments divided by one or more insertionopportunities). In one methodology, one or more of the insertionopportunities associated with the non-linear content (e.g., at onset,such as when VOD session is queueing up the requested content fordelivery, at a pre-planned intermediate break within the movie, at theend of the movie, or as part of a telescoping function associated withthe movie) are identified, whether before delivery or “on the fly”during delivery, and one or more secondary content elements selected for“insertion” into the non-linear opportunities based on e.g., fittingwithin a prescribed temporal window, suitability for audience (e.g., no“adult” themes for a prospectively juvenile audience), as well as theCPSU-provided profile data resident on the CPE and used by the DE 222.In the present context, the insertion of the secondary content may usethe aforementioned extant SDV infrastructure of the MSO network 101,such the DSTB 220 is accessing one in-band QAM (e.g., a designated VoDQAM) for the delivery of the primary (VoD) content, including trick modefunctionality via LSCP, whereas the targeted secondary content isprovided via a selected SDV channel which is also accessible to theclient device 220. In one such variant, the trick-mode functionality isdisabled or suspended during the play of the secondary content, suchthat the user must effectively sit through the targeted spot to “comeout the other side” within the VoD primary content. Moreover, if a usertrick-modes across the break boundary (thereby triggering the SCTE-35message to the advertising server 208 and subsequent operations; seeFIG. 6a discussion presented below), the logic is optionally configuredin one embodiment to suspend the trick mode functionality and invoke thesecondary content switch as previously described, such that the user isprecluded from “getting a running start” and avoiding the secondarycontent. Likewise, if the user backs up over a boundary of theadvertisement break, logic within headed can preclude the signaling andinsertion by the CASU of the same content if it has already been watchedonce by the user, as determined by e.g., the impression data sentupstream by the DE 222.

IP-Based Variants—

FIG. 2d discloses another exemplary configuration of an architecture 260for providing video or other media content to client devices 282 via acontent delivery network (CDN) 278, such as that disclosed in U.S.patent application Ser. No. 15/204,610 filed Jul. 7, 2016 entitled“APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR PRESENTATION OF KEY FRAMES IN ENCRYPTEDCONTENT”, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 10,652,594 on May 12, 2020, whichis incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. As shown in FIG. 2d, the CDN 278 is in communication with client devices 282 via thenetwork 280. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the network280 comprises an internetwork, such as e.g., the Internet. Whiledescribed in the context of an Internet Protocol network, it will berecognized that the principles of the disclosure may be extended toother transport modalities and network paradigms.

The requesting client device 286 may include home gateway devices and/ormedia client devices. In one embodiment a media client device is aportable device. Common examples of portable devices include, withoutlimitation, tablets, phablets, smart phones, smart televisions (TVs),desktop and laptop personal computers (PC), and portable media players.In another embodiment, the media client device may comprise a fileserver; file servers are common in both commercial and residential use.For example, a subscriber may have a PC which can play media files, butwhich also serves his/her other consumer electronics (e.g., smart phoneand tablet).

In one embodiment, an encoder 264 encodes a source file 262 from acontent source 261 into at least one encoding format (e.g., transcodes asource file from one format to at least one other format). In anothervariant, the source file 262 is encoded into a plurality of encodingsthat correspond to a respective plurality of one or more device types,codecs, resolutions, file formats, audio encodings, bit rates, etc. Thevariety of encodings may be utilized by the CDN 278 (and the packager270) via adaptive bitrate (ABR) streaming.

“Adaptive bitrate (ABR) streaming” refers to streaming multimedia overcomputer networks such that a source file thereof is encoded intomultiple bitrates. Encoded content segments of varying bit rates aresent to a client device. Non-limiting examples of ABR streaming include,without limitation, MPEG-Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP (DASH),Adobe® Dynamic Streaming for flash, Apple® HTTP Adaptive Streaming,Microsoft® Smooth Streaming, QuavStreams® Adaptive Streaming over HTTP,and upLynk®.

As shown in FIG. 2d , a source file 262 from a content source 261 isinput to the encoder 264. Various content sources 261 may provide sourcefiles 262 to the encoder 264. For example, content may be received froma local, regional, or network content library. Alternatively, contentmay be received from linear analog or digital feeds, as well as thirdparty content sources. Internet content sources (such as e.g., a webserver) may also provide Internet content to the encoder 264. In yetanother embodiment, content may be received from subscriber and/ornon-subscriber devices (e.g., a PC or smartphone-originated user madevideo).

An output stream 266 comprises key frames (e.g., I-frames) at a certaintemporal distance (e.g., 2 seconds or 10 seconds) apart. A key frame isa fully specified picture like a conventional static image file. Keyframes may be placed in any number of temporal distances, from 0 (i.e.,every frame is a key frame) to a single key frame followed by all deltaframes, per stream.

Parameters used by the encoder 264 to encode the source file 262include: (i) whether the output streams should be encoded into separatevideo and audio only tracks, or video tracks with audio included, (ii)an appropriate key frame period, (iii) a frame rate, (iv) segmentationduration, (v) video resolutions, (vi) video bitrate, (vii) audio bitrate (where necessary), (viii) audio sample rate, (ix) a number of audiochannels, (x) aspect ratio, (xi) video codec, (xii) specific deviceprofiles, (xiii) audio volume, (xiv) file type and extension, and (xv)standard specific encoding profiles. Standard specific encoding profilesinclude e.g., H.264, which includes different standard encoding profilesfor baseline, main, and high encoding. Additionally, the encoder 264 mayutilize information used for cutting out other resolutions/aspect ratiosfrom a higher resolution/different aspect ratio file. For example, theencoder 264 may center-punch a standard definition (SD) image or videofrom a high definition (HD) source. Similarly, an HD image or video maybe center punched from a 4K, 8K, 16K source.

While output streams 266 are shown as separate files (for example MPEG 4transport stream (.ts) files), in a further embodiment of the presentdisclosure, all of the streams (i.e., streams 266) are presented in asingle “super” file. Having a single comprehensive file comprisingmultiple streams will lower the number of files the CDN 278 must manage.

The encoder 264 may encode output streams 266 with audio tracks (e.g.,AC3 audio). Different encoding formats and bit rates may be selectedbased on the requirements of the stream, end user equipment, and theprotocols and formats used by the CDN 278.

The encoded output streams 266 may be encrypted by an encryptor 268 viaan encryption algorithm (e.g., AES, DES, public key encryption, etc.).The encoded and encrypted output streams are stored in a storage device263. In one embodiment, the functionality of both the encoder 264 andthe encryptor 268 may be integrated into a single apparatus

The stored output streams are utilized by a packager 270 to provide amanifest (or index/playlist) file 276 and video segments 272 to arequesting client device 282. Specifically, the manifest file 276 is adata structure comprising a listing of addresses for each of the videosegments 272 of a stream of data, and includes information about thevideo segments 272 such as bitrates, closed captioning, audio, etc.Different ABR models may use different manifest files 276.

In one implementation, the list of media segment entries in the manifestfile 276 comprises a list of network addresses (which may be remote orlocal) where the corresponding segments 272 of media content, includingthe targeted secondary content and key frames 274, may be accessedand/or downloaded. For instance, each of the media segment entries maybe listed by a Uniform Resource Locator (URL). In some embodiments, theentries may be in computing resource “path” format. Computing paths maybe either absolute (i.e., the path provides the fully elaborated andunique location of the segment 272 in a file structure 276) or relative(i.e., the path provides a relative location of the segment 272 in afile structure 276).

The service provider may be a conglomeration of multiple logicalentities. Multiple logical entities may be useful to further distributeservices over various network resources or enable additional featuresprovided by partnered corporations or providers. Multiple logicalentities, for example, may provide local content for a particularservice group or geographic area. Furthermore, having content providingentities closer to end users may offer lower latency and may add networkredundancy. Common examples of network resources include e.g.,broadcast, multicast, video-on-demand, advertisement services, localservices, etc. In one specific example, the media segment listing mayinclude a listing of URL links which is further punctuated with HTMLtags or Javascript, which is configured to enable targeted advertisementinsertion. For instance, the video client of the client device 282(e.g., DE “app”; not shown) may insert tailored locally or remotelystored advertisement for commercial breaks, such as under the directionof the CPSU 206 of FIG. 2 (i.e., via profile data and related targetinginfo sent to the DE of the client 282 via e.g., an inter-processmessaging format or other communication).

In the exemplary embodiment, each media segment 272 is an encoded andencrypted subsection or segment of media content. The media segments272, when decrypted, decoded, and played in the appropriate order,render the original media content. In one implementation, each mediasegment 272 represents a portion of video associated with a specificresolution, codec, and time stamp. The media segments are assembledaccording to a time stamp sequence.

Access control such as Digital Rights Management (DRM), conditionalaccess (CA), trusted domain (TD), etc. may be implemented by thepackager 204 (or alternatively the CDN 206). One example of utilizationof the foregoing technologies is described within co-owned U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/710,308 filed on Dec. 10, 2012 entitled“APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR CONTENT TRANSFER PROTECTION”, and issued asU.S. Pat. No. 9,565,472 on Feb. 7, 2017, which is incorporated herein byreference in its entirety. As discussed therein content is delivered viaa managed content distribution network (such as a cable or satellite orHFCu network having an MSO), and the MSO manages the rights andrestrictions of the content outside of a premises, and in a data centeror headend, by providing requested content to a gateway device withinthe premises of a user.

In another embodiment, the methods and apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat.No. 8,701,138 issued Apr. 15, 2014 and entitled “ZONE CONTROL METHODSAND APPARATUS”, which is incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety, may be used consistent with the present disclosure.Specifically, the aforementioned patent discloses, inter alia, methodsand apparatus for selectively providing targeted secondary content to auser based at least in part on a logical, geographic, or other “zone” orspace associated with the user. In one embodiment, when the userrequests primary content at a non-legacy device (e.g., an IP-capabledevice such as an IP-enabled DSTB, portable computer, or 4G smartphone),the secondary content that is provided therewith is the same secondarycontent which would have been provided to the user had the request beengenerated at a legacy device; i.e., the “zone” (whether geographic,demographic, psychographic, or otherwise) is preserved. In oneimplementation, a non-legacy device is associated with a user's zone byintroducing a link between a server providing content to the device(e.g., a web server) and a server which has the ability to determine anappropriate zone for the user. This is accomplished for example byassociating each user with an advertisement zone identifier.Alternatively, the foregoing may be accomplished by associating eachuser with a device that is associated with a physical hub or nodeidentifier, which, in turn, is associated with an advertisement zoneidentifier. In yet another variant, a service group identifier (ratherthan advertisement zone identifier) may be used.

Hence, using such methods and apparatus, the “reach” of a givenadvertising schedule (and its associated particular spots) generatedusing the methodology herein that is based on data derived from legacyCPE can be preserved for non-legacy, mobile devices.

Server Apparatus—

FIG. 3 illustrates one exemplary embodiment of a secondary contentmanagement server hardware architecture useful with, inter alia, thearchitecture 200 of FIG. 2, such as for the CASU server 204, CPSU server206, GS 212, or SDS 216. As shown, the server apparatus generallycomprises one or more network interfaces 360 for interfacing with otherentities of the content delivery network 101 and/or the managed networkheadend 150 (including the LAN/MAN/WAN 160 of FIG. 1 as illustrated), aprocessor 350, a memory apparatus 354, mass storage 370 (e.g., RAIDarray, solid state drive (SSD), HDD, and/or NAND/NOR flash memory), anda plurality of backend or local interfaces 362 such as e.g., USB,IEEE-1394 (Fire Wire), Thunderbolt, IEEE Std. 802.11 (Wi-Fi), etc.

The server apparatus of FIG. 3 also includes a user or operatorinterface 356, which is useful for input of data, determining devicestatus, diagnosing communication issues, generating reports, etc. In oneembodiment, the user interface is implemented in a windowed softwareenvironment of the type well known in the computer arts, although otherapproaches may be used. Moreover, it is appreciated that the userinterface 356 may also include a remote interface (such as via aweb-based client application) for the operator or even a third partycustomer.

In the illustrated embodiment, the CASU/CPSU/SDS/GS logical processes371 described above with respect to FIGS. 2-2 b are implemented ascomputerized logic rendered as code and operative to run on therespective server. The logical processes 371 are also implementedaccording to the aforementioned centralized or decentralizedarchitectures, and may also be physically and/or logically integratedwith other components of the MSO network or third parties. For instance,the CASU/CPSU/SDS/GS functionality may be hosted on another extantplatform, such as via additional software/firmware running on a separateserver blade or partition of the host device.

In the illustrated implementation, the CASU/CPSU/SDS/GS serverfunctionality is based on an a “distributed’ architecture wherein eachcomponent implements its own persistence database, in lieu of acentralized data store, although it will be appreciated that otherconfigurations may be used consistent with the present disclosure. Thisdecentralized approach advantageously provided enhanced/simpler failoverand redundancy features, and also may reduce access latency whencompared with a more centralized approach. In one particularimplementation, the component storage is placed within a virtual SAN(storage area network) to “future-simplify” failover and redundancy. Ifany one of these components becomes unavailable, a replacement servercan easily be brought online to replace it, thereby mitigating theeffects of such failure.Client Device—

FIG. 4 illustrates one exemplary embodiment of client device hardwarearchitecture useful with, inter alia, the architecture 200 of FIG. 2,such as for the DSTB 220. As shown, the client device 220 generallycomprises one or more front-end RF network interfaces 460 includingtuner(s) for in-band and OOB communications with other entities of thecontent delivery network 101 and/or the managed network headend 150, aprocessor 450, a memory apparatus 454, mass storage 470 (e.g., solidstate drive (SSD), HDD, and/or NAND/NOR flash memory), and a pluralityof backend or local interfaces 462 such as e.g., HDMI, DisplayPort, USB,IEEE-1394 (FireWire), Thunderbolt, IEEE Std. 802.11 (Wi-Fi), Bluetooth,etc. for communication with local display or rendering devices, controldevices, wireless infrastructure, etc. A conditional access (CA) module576 may also be included.

The client device 220 of FIG. 4 also includes a user “local” interface456, such as for front panel device control and illumination, receipt oflocal user inputs, etc.

In the illustrated embodiment, the DE logical process 222 and the SDV“switch engine” (with API) 224 described above with respect to FIGS. 2-2b are implemented as computerized logic rendered as code and operativeto run on the respective client 220. In one embodiment, the DE client222 comprises a software application (“app”) that is downloaded onto theclient device 220 either at time of install or subsequently thereafter,such as via an “app store” or similar functionality, or by insertion ofmedia such as CD-ROM or USB flash drive. The MSO or a proxy thereof mayalso install the DE app 222 on the DSTB via e.g., OOB download of anexecutable, and subsequent remote execution thereof via the processorapparatus 450.

Also resident on the client device 220 is middleware configured toexecute one or more privileged applications (which may also be remotelycontrollable by the MSO or its proxy), including the SDV “switch engine”function 224. In the exemplary implementation, the middleware containsthe SDV switch API 224, and the DE 222 is coded to access the API inorder to effect selective tuning of one or more tuners in the front end460 of the DSTB to designated QAMs or other channels upon which thetargeted secondary content is carried, and subsequent tuning back to theoriginal (primary) program stream PID, as described in greater detailbelow with respect to FIGS. 6-6 a.

Referring now to FIG. 4a , a logical block diagram illustrating oneexemplary embodiment of data flows and interactions between hardware andsoftware components of the client receiver device of FIG. 4 is shown anddescribed. Specifically, the client device 220 (e.g., DSTB) include asoftware stack 231 of the type known in the software arts (e.g., amulti-layer stack with inter alia, PHY, network, and application layerssuch as according to the OSI model). In the exemplary embodiment, thestack 231 includes middleware having the switch engine functionality asa module 224 therein. Associated with the switch engine module 224 is anAPI which is accessible by one or more upper layer processes, includingthe DE 222 as shown. The DSTB 220 also includes other application layerprocesses 232, such as e.g., EPGs, on-screen help, etc.

As shown, the head end of the HFC network 101 (per the infrastructure200 of FIG. 2) inserts both signaling and secondary content such astargeted advertisements into in-band downstream programming to theclient device 220. As used in the context of the exemplary embodiment,“insertion” of the secondary content is actually via a different programstream (e.g., another SDV ID) which is also delivered in-band.

So-called “command and control” of the DE 222 occurs in this embodimentvia the OOB HFC channels (i.e., low bandwidth “side channels” used forancillary communication and the like), so as to provide profile andsegmentation data to the DE 222 from the CPSU 206, receive impressiondata reporting, cause updates of or configuration changes to the DE 222,or otherwise control its operation remotely (including from third partycampaign management entities which may be outside the MSO network, e.g.,via the hub and SDS of the MSO network as shown in FIG. 2).

FIG. 4b is a logical block diagram illustrating one exemplary embodimentof signal flows and content conditioning for delivery of targetedsecondary content to a legacy DSTB configured in accordance with thedisclosure. As shown, the primary content stream (i.e., content providernetwork channel Nickelodeon in this example) is signaled using theSCTE-35 cues (step 472) shortly before the actual break, and thensubsequently the client device 220 switches (step 474) to the targetedadvertising content (copy) per step 476, which may include various typesof media as shown. The secondary content copy is conditioned (e.g., perSCTE-138) including formatting per step 478, use of filler, encoding,etc., and upon completion the client device 220 is switched back to theprimary content per step 480. FIG. 6a and its discussion subsequentlyherein provide a more detailed discussion of these signal flows in thecontent of such legacy DSTB.

Referring now to FIG. 5, another exemplary embodiment of client devicehardware architecture useful with, inter alia, the architecture 260 ofFIG. 2c is illustrated, such as for the mobile IP-enabled clients 282.As shown, the client device 282 is served by a service provider (e.g.,MSO HFC) network “drop”, such as a DOCSIS-enabled cable modem (CM) 502.The CM 502 generally comprises one or more front-end RF networkinterfaces 560 including tuner(s) for DOCSIS data communications withother entities of the content delivery network 101 and/or the managednetwork headend 150, a processor 550, a memory apparatus 554, massstorage 570 (e.g., solid state drive (SSD), HDD, and/or NAND/NOR flashmemory), and a plurality of backend or local interfaces 562 such ase.g., an III Std. 802.11 (Wi-Fi) air interface. A conditional access(CA) module 576 is also included, such as one compliant with theCableCard, MS Silverlight, and/or other DRM-based or non-DRM-basedapproach such as DCAS (downloadable conditional access).

The CM 502 of FIG. 5 also includes a user “local” interface 556, such asfor front panel device control and illumination, receipt of local userinputs, etc.

In the illustrated embodiment, the client 282 (e.g., a wireless-enabledtablet, smartphone, Smart TV, etc.) includes the DE logical process 222implemented as computerized logic rendered as code and operative to runon the respective client 282. In one embodiment, the DE client 222comprises a software application (“app”) that is downloaded onto theclient device 282 either at time of install or subsequently thereafter,such as via an “app store” or similar functionality, or by insertion ofmedia such as CD-ROM or USB flash drive. The MSO or a proxy thereof mayalso provide the DE app 222 to the user for install on the client 282such as via download of an executable, and subsequent remote executionthereof via the processor apparatus of the client 282.

The exemplary client device 282 shown in FIG. 5 also includes acomplementary wireless interface of sufficient bandwidth to wirelesslyreceive media data such as the primary and secondary content describedabove; in this case, an OFDM-based IEEE-802.11 interface is used,although this is merely exemplary. For instance, an LTE-A cellular datainterface may be used with equal success.

Also resident on the client device 282 is other application software 523configured to (i) enable user browsing of the necessary content sourceor portal (e.g., MSO URL) to select primary content, (ii) decode andrender the selected and downloaded primary content (e.g., an AVC orH.264 codec or media player) as well as any “inserted” secondarycontent, (iii) implement any DRM or similar content protection policies(if any).

Methodology—

FIG. 6 is a logical flow diagram illustrating an exemplary generalizedmethod for selecting and inserting secondary content within a managednetwork environment (such as within the architecture 200 of FIG. 2), inaccordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure.

As shown, the general method 600 includes first identifying one or moreinsertion or placement opportunities within primary content (step 602).As described in greater detail below with respect to FIGS. 6a and 6b ,this may take the form of cues or other data inserted into mediastreams, signaling from third party entities, etc.

Next, per step 604, a user and/or receiver profile is obtained. Forexample, in one embodiment, the user's receiver device (e.g., DSTB 220or portable IP-enabled device 228) has unique identifying informationsuch as a MAC address or IP address associated therewith, and thisinformation is correlated to a user (subscriber) account within the MSOsubscriber database which also contains demographic, geographic,psychographic, and other information of possible use (e.g., subscriptionlevel, recently selected OD content, etc.) for which the subscriber (andany associated household members) can be “profiled” in terms possiblecorrelation to secondary content. As described previously herein, thisanalytical capability in one implementation resides within one or morecloud-based entities (either MSO- or third-party operated algorithms),or to varying degrees within the DE 222 of the client device.

Per step 606, the appropriate secondary content is selected based on theaforementioned profiling. Such selections may be made “on the fly”(e.g., at time of signaling of the impending insertion opportunity), orin advance (e.g., based on characterization of the individual secondarycontent by the provider or source as being applicable to certainprofiles, demographics, geographics, psychographics, etc.).

The selection may also take into account attributes of the primarycontent within which the secondary content will be inserted. Forexample, if the primary content comprises a children's show or movie, itmay be fairly safe to assume that the primary viewer in the householdconsuming the content is not an adult, and hence more adult-orientedsecondary content may not be appropriate (or even if an adult isco-consuming, such adult-oriented content is not appropriate for thechild). Such information regarding the primary content can be gleanedfor example from the descriptive metadata associated with the primarycontent (e.g., rating, origin, content descriptors or codes, etc.).

Per step 608, the selected secondary content is placed onto one or moredelivery channels (e.g., the SDV “feeder” previously referenced) whichare accessible to the user receiver device. As described elsewhereherein, such placement (and subsequent removal) may also be in a “justin time” fashion, such as where the secondary content is delivered tothe edge device or switch within the network (see FIG. 1c ) at or justbefore the insertion break in the primary content occurs, therebyconserving bandwidth. Moreover, the secondary content can be “swapped”for other content that is being removed; e.g., another advertisement onthe feeder channel (consumed by say another DSTB or subset of the MSOaudience) may be slated for removal at or before time of insertion ofthe new advertisement, and hence a largely zero-sum effect on bandwidthconsumption is achieved.

In yet another alternative, one or more time-shifted copies of the sametargeted advertisement may be placed on different delivery channelsaccessible by the SDV logic, such that in the event of a subsequenttime-shifted user (e.g., another DSTB watching another primary contentstream yet having an insertion opportunity calling for the sameadvertisement), the time-shifted copy can be accessed by the user solong as insertion criteria such as remaining time period, etc. are met.

It is also appreciated that the insertion logic of the system 200 mayfurther be configured to, based at least on detection that theappropriate targeted advertising is not present or available on thealternate or feeder SDV channel, identify a remaining time periodassociated with the one or more insertion opportunities, and selectsecond appropriate advertising so as to fit within said remaining timeperiod. For example, a 30-second spot may not be available at time t=0(start of the break) based on e.g., absence of marker messages asdescribed below with respect to FIG. 6a , and accordingly a second oralternate advertisement of duration 25 seconds may be selected fordelivery (i.e., tuned to by the DE 222). Moreover, any gaps in theschedule (i.e., the lost approx. 30 seconds minus 25 seconds or approx.5 seconds) may be filled with either filler somewhat similar in natureto SCTE-138 Sections 8.0, et seq. (i.e., black pictures or silentaudio), or yet other content such as e.g., user-specified content (e.g.,“wallpaper” and/or music of the user's choosing, other SDV channelswhich can be switched in), or even user-generated or local content(e.g., security camera feeds, webcam feeds, etc.) in the case ofURL-based IP content.

Lastly, per step 610 of the method, 600, the receiver device (e.g.,DSTB) is tuned from the primary content channel to an alternate channel(e.g., via the SDV logic of the network and switch engine 224 undercontrol of the DE 222, or to a new URL for streaming media.

FIG. 6A illustrates one particular implementation of the method 600, inthe context of the architecture 200 of FIG. 2. As shown, the method 620first comprises receiving an SCTE-35 message at the advertising server208, such as from a content source of the primary content (e.g., anetwork) per step 622, alerting to an impending insertion opportunitywithin a given program (PID).

Per step 624, the server 208 generates an SNMP (simple networkmanagement protocol) “trap” message to alert the CASU server 204 of theimpending insertion opportunity for the PID.

Per step 626, the CASU 204 generates a client break such as via a “DPI”(SCTE 35) trigger for transmission to the splicer 210 to insert in theprimary program stream, and ultimate delivery to the CPE. In theexemplary embodiment, the message is generic (i.e., addressed as a“multicast” and thereby extractable by all CPE or clients receiving theprogram stream), although it will be appreciated that specificaddressing may be used as desired. The message also includes theappropriate PID and other necessary information (e.g., QAM frequency) toensure insertion of the message into the appropriate primary contentstream only.

Per step 628, the splicer 210 inserts the message into the primaryprogram stream (i.e., the appropriate PID of the PMT), and the QAMsdeliver the program, stream via the HFC distribution network to theclients 220.

It will also be appreciated that the exemplary implementations describedherein may further include insertion of one or more “heartbeat” messageswithin the secondary content stream, such as via the splicer 210. Theseheartbeat message may be used for, inter alia, detection by a receivingclient 220 (and its application 222) of an erroneous tune or switchevent, network or equipment failure, or other anomalous condition whichprevents the secondary content stream from being delivered to theclient. Specifically, in one variant, the splicer inserts SCTE-35messages into the secondary content stream every N seconds, and theclient application 222 is configured to, during any tune-away from theprimary content stream, look for such heartbeat messages within thereceived secondary content stream. If such messages are not detectedaccording to a prescribed logic (e.g., every message must be received,every message must be received and it must be received within aprescribed time window or periodicity, at least every other message mustbe received, etc.), then the client application 222 will cause theswitch API/application 224 to invoke a tune back to the primary content,so as to avoid the user seeing “dead air” for the duration of theadvertising break.

The foregoing heartbeat messages can also be used for other purposes,such as e.g., to passively cue the client application 222 to take otheractions such as rendering of some locally stored content or displayelement on the screen concurrent with the then-showing advertisement,sampling or logging of the state of one or more parameters associatedwith the client device, or yet other actions. For instance, one variantof the client application 222 may be configured to count the heartbeatsreceived, and based on knowledge of the total duration of theadvertisement, identify a prescribed place within the advertising streamat which to invoke such actions. For example, a 30-second advertisementmay include one heartbeat message every 2 seconds (e.g., 14 total), andby counting that 7 of the 14 heartbeats have been received know that itis approximately at the middle of the run duration of the advertisement.

Per step 630, each client receives the client break message, and the DE222 extracts and parses it for further processing and storage.

Per step 632, the DE 222 accesses and evaluates the (previously)obtained and stored profile data sent from the CPSU 206 for selection ofan appropriate SDV channel/source ID over which the secondary contentwill be delivered.

In one exemplary implementation, the “targeting” information derivedbased on the evaluation of step 632 is transmitted in one or moreprofiles to each affected client (e.g., DSTB). This transmitted profileincludes, inter alia, information for each DSTB as to which source toselect (including the correct source or program ID), and is tagged withan advertisement identifier for reference. The previously discusseddigital program insertion (DPI) trigger (received seconds before theactual delivery of the advertisement) identifies the impendingadvertisement break, including the appropriate advertisement identifier.Based on this identifier, the DSTB then knows (based on the previouslysent profile) which source or program ID to which to tune for theappropriate advertising content to be rendered on the DSTB.

Per step 634, the primary content insertion break starts (based on theexisting SCTE 35 trigger in the primary content video stream), theclient process operating on the relevant DSTB perform a virtual channelswitch when it identifies the triggering PID value sent from the CASU,and the advertising server 208 generates a second SNMP trap message tothe CASU to alert the CASU 204 of the break (step 636).

Per step 638, the CASU generates a client trigger message and sends itto the splicer 210. Per step 640, the splicer inserts the message intothe program stream identified by the PID for delivery to the client(s)220.

Per step 642, the CASU 204 conditions and begins streaming the selectedsecondary content onto the appropriate SDV channel identified by the SDVID of step 632. As previously noted, the “selected” secondary contentmay comprise content which was previously selected (such as by a thirdparty campaign manager) for correlation with a particular subscriberprofile or subset of profiles (or “template”), or alternatively may beselected on-the-fly based on, e.g., primary content context or subjectmatter, prevailing events (e.g., breaking news), advertiser updates(e.g., car maker introducing brand new model), or yet otherconsiderations.

Per step 644, the client 220 receives the client trigger message, andextracts and parses it for processing.

Per step 646, the DE 222, upon processing the message of step 644,accesses the previously stored SDV ID and generates an inter-processcommunication (i.e., API “call” to the switch engine API of themiddleware 224) per step 648 to cause the middleware to invoke a tuneevent of the relevant RF tuner(s) to the appropriate frequencyassociated with the SDV ID. In one such sequence, the DE provides theSDV ID to the switch engine API 224, which then creates and transmits amessage with the correlated SDV ID to a network-side SDV server 196 orswitch 194 (see FIG. 1c ), wherein the latter provides a frequencyassignment to the client device 220 in effect telling the client (andits tuner) what frequency on which to access the particular SDV ID.Other schemes may also be used, the foregoing being merely exemplary.

During delivery of the secondary content via the designated SDV channel,the CASU 204 generates a series of client marker messages (in oneembodiment, SCTE-35 DPI triggers) per step 650, which basically functionas keep-alive messages for the SDV tune-away from the primary content.For instance in one variant, the messages are inserted via the splicer210 every prescribed interval (e.g., 0.1 seconds) per step 652; the DEreceives and parses the messages (step 654) so as to maintain the SDV IDtune-away event per step 656. If the markers are not present, the DEcauses tuning back to the primary content PID per step 655, and play ofthe primary content at the client device 220 continues (largelyunnoticed by the viewer due to the short interval).

Per step 658, when the end of the break is detected (such as via one ormore additional DPI triggers specifically indicative of the end of thebreak), the CASU 204 generates another client trigger message and causesinsertion by the splicer 210 (per step 660) into the secondary contentstream so as to affirmatively and cleanly transition from theadvertising content to the primary content per step 662. It will also beappreciated that multiple advertisements may be sequenced within theavailable break (e.g., four 30-second spots in a two-minute break). Inone such implementation, each PID associated with its respectiveadvertisement stream has a trigger or termination message inserted at ornear its end to indicate to the client application 222 to queue the nextsequential PID in its profile (i.e., by invoking a switch via the SDVsystem as previously described.

In another implementation, the client application 222 includes codewhich extracts an advertisement duration value for each advertisement,and hence in effect knows when to make the switch to the nextadvertisement (or back to the primary stream) even without a triggermessage. In such case, a trigger message indicating the end of thesequence of advertisements (i.e., the end of the break) may be used toeffect a smooth transition back to the primary stream if desired.

It will also be appreciated that the aforementioned heartbeat messagesmay, where used, act as “end of content” markers as well. For example,where a heartbeat message is purposely inserted to “coincide” with theinsertion point where an “end of advertisement” message would nominallybe inserted, the latter may be obviated in favor of the former. Here,the term “coincide” refers to the fact that the insertion of theheartbeat should account for any processing delays by the client in theheartbeat logic (e.g., if the latency of the client causing the tuneback to the primary stream, or the next advertisement in the sequence ifany is a known amount, the last heartbeat for that PID should beinserted temporally ahead of the desired transition point by that knownlatency value).

In a less complex paradigm, the heartbeat can merely be used as a “hardtune” event if the latency of the logic is short enough; i.e., if thetime between failure to detect a requisite heartbeat and the retune backto the primary PID is short enough, so as to not cause a significantdiscontinuity or transition for the viewer.

At step 664, the DE accesses the stored primary content PID/SDV ID, andper step 666 makes a call to the switch engine API 224 to instigate are-tune back to the primary content.

Per step 668, an “impression” is stored by the DE in the client 220(e.g., in memory), and per step 670, the impression is transmitted tothe CPSU 206 for further processing. In one implementation, multipleimpressions are aggregated by the client/DE 222 over time, and thentransmitted en masse to the CPSU 206 at a randomized time (oralternatively based on available transmission medium access, such as viaa CSMA/CD or other scheme). Once the impressions have been received bythe CPSU (or a proxy thereof), an ACK is sent confirming the same, andthe DE 222 processes the ACK to enable logic to delete or enableoverwrite of the stored impressions, so as to inter alia, makeadditional storage space within the client device memory.

FIG. 6b is a logical flow diagram illustrating another particularimplementation of the generalized method of FIG. 6, in the context of acable television network providing IP-based streaming content servicesto subscribers via a portable tablet or smartphone, or “Smart TV”.

As shown, the method 680 of FIG. 6b begins with the MSO (or designatedserver of a third party) receiving a streaming request from anIP-enabled client device, such as by a user clicking on a “Play” iconwithin a media player or browser app running on the client device 282(See FIG. 2c ) at step 682.

At step 684, the MSO or third party server processes the requested mediastream (which may be obtained locally, or from a content library orother source as described above) to insert one or more cues or timingreferences within the stream. For instance, in one embodiment, thestream includes data indicative of both the start point and end point ofthe planned “break” within the packet stream of the processed content.These temporal references (or yet other types of data) may also beincluded as separate “files” as part of the manifest file generated perstep 686, or as metadata.

At step 686, the packager 270 (or other entity within the network)generates the manifest file and transmits it via e.g., DOCSIS modem orother transport to the requesting client device 282.

The CASU 204, CPSU 206 (FIG. 2), or other entity within the network thencauses placement of prescribed secondary content at a designated URL,e.g., under direction of the third party campaign manager. For instance,the aforementioned car maker may want to target every MSO subscriber whopreviously purchased or leased one of their cars, and advertising forsay a new model may be specified by the campaign manager.

To that end, the CPSU 206 also sends the client 282 with DE app aprofile (similar to those described supra) to specify URLs for variousdemographics, psychographics, etc. (not shown).

Per step 690, the receiving client device's DE app unpacks the manifestfile and extracts the cue (timing information), and if needed,calculates the available break time.

At step 692, the first URL in the manifest is then played by the clientdevice's media player, and thereon in succession until the advertisingbreak (timing cue) is reached.

At that point (or shortly before), per step 694, the DE app accesses thestored profile and selects secondary content for insertion (i.e., playby the media player app). The selected URL(s) for the secondary contentare inserted into the manifest at the cue per step 696.

The media player then executes the first secondary content URL in themanifest (i.e., next on the play list), and begins playing the secondarycontent streamed from the web server serving that URL, per step 698.

Finally, at step 699, the media play executes the final URL in thesecondary content, and reverts to the next primary content (requestedstream) URL in the playlist, which in effect picks up where the userleft off at the cue or break.

It is appreciated that while the foregoing methodology 680 describes ascenario where the network-side entity or entities insert cues or timingreferences into the streamed primary content, the present disclosureenvisages other permutations, including for instance: (i) the networkside entity or entities inserting the actual URL(s) for the secondarycontent into the primary stream; (ii) the DE or other process on theclient device 282 selecting the insertion points for the secondarycontent; and (iii) a third party campaign manager and/or serverinserting the cues/timing information, and/or the secondary contentURLs, into the stream.

It will be recognized that while certain aspects of the disclosure aredescribed in terms of a specific sequence of steps of a method, thesedescriptions are only illustrative of the broader methods of thedisclosure, and may be modified as required by the particularapplication. Certain steps may be rendered unnecessary or optional undercertain circumstances. Additionally, certain steps or functionality maybe added to the disclosed embodiments, or the order of performance oftwo or more steps permuted. All such variations are considered to beencompassed within the disclosure disclosed and claimed herein.

While the above detailed description has shown, described, and pointedout novel features of the disclosure as applied to various embodiments,it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions, and changesin the form and details of the device or process illustrated may be madeby those skilled in the art without departing from the disclosure. Theforegoing description is of the best mode presently contemplated ofcarrying out the disclosure. This description is in no way meant to belimiting, but rather should be taken as illustrative of the generalprinciples of the disclosure. The scope of the disclosure should bedetermined with reference to the claims.

It will be appreciated that while certain steps and aspects of thevarious methods and apparatus described herein may be performed by ahuman being, the disclosed computer technology improvements arecomputer-implemented, and computerized apparatus and methods arenecessary to fully implement these aspects for any number of reasonsincluding, without limitation, commercial viability, practicality, andeven feasibility (i.e., certain steps/processes simply cannot beperformed by a human being in any viable fashion).

What is claimed is:
 1. Computerized network apparatus configured forsubstantially automated insertion of digitally rendered secondarycontent for use by one or more users of a managed content distributionnetwork, the computerized network apparatus comprising: server apparatuscomprising: digital processor apparatus; first network data interfaceapparatus in data communication with the digital processor apparatusconfigured to communicate with a plurality of computerized user receiverdevices via at least one or more communication channels of the managedcontent distribution network; and storage apparatus in datacommunication with the digital processor apparatus, the storageapparatus comprising at least one computer program configured to, whenexecuted on the digital processor apparatus: identify one or moredigitally rendered secondary content elements applicable to a targetpopulation of users of the managed content distribution network, thetarget population of users associated with the plurality of computerizeduser receiver devices, respectively; identify one or more insertionopportunities within digitally rendered programming consumed by thetarget population; cause delivery of the one or more digitally renderedsecondary content elements at one or more of the identified insertionopportunities via selective switching of infrastructure within themanaged content distribution network, the selective switching effectedby device-specific tuning data indicative of (i) a particular time theselective switching is to be effected, and (ii) one or more sourcechannels over which the one or more digitally rendered secondary contentelements are to be delivered, the selective switching thereby obviatinginsertion of the one or more digitally rendered secondary contentelements into the digital program stream carrying the digitally renderedprogramming; and cause one or more of the plurality of computerized userreceiver devices of the target population to access the selectivelyswitched one or more digitally rendered secondary content elements forat least a period of time; wherein: (i) the one or more of the pluralityof computerized user receiver devices comprise at least onelinear-addressable enabled device having a client application operativethereon; (ii) the client application is configured to identify a linearaddressable cue associated with the one or more digitally renderedsecondary content elements; and (iii) the linear addressable cue isutilized to cause the selective switching.
 2. The computerized networkapparatus of claim 1, wherein the causation of the delivery of the oneor more digitally rendered secondary content elements at the one or moreof the identified insertion opportunities via selective switchingcomprises: causation of the one or more of the plurality of computerizeduser receiver devices to tune to a modulated radio frequency (RF)channel; detection that, after the tuning to the modulated RF channel,the one or more digitally rendered secondary content elements is notpresent or available on the modulated RF channel; and obtain analternate RF channel to which to tune the one or more of the pluralityof computerized user receiver devices so as to enable the one or more ofthe plurality of computerized user receiver devices the access at leasta portion of the one or more digitally rendered secondary contentelements.
 3. The computerized network apparatus of claim 1, wherein: thecomputerized network apparatus further comprises: second network datainterface apparatus in data communication with the digital processorapparatus configured to communicate with a secondary content processingentity of the managed content distribution network; third network datainterface apparatus in data communication with the processor apparatusand configured to communicate with one or more network entitiesconfigured to select appropriate secondary content for respective onesof the plurality of computerized user receiver devices; and the at leastone computer program is further configured to, when executed on theprocessor apparatus: receive, via the second network data interfaceapparatus, indication of an impending insertion opportunity within adigital program stream being accessed by a particular one of theplurality of computerized user receiver devices; and receive, via thethird network data interface apparatus, data indicative of acommunication channel over which the particular one of the plurality ofcomputerized user receiver devices can access secondary content, thesecondary content having been determined to be applicable to theparticular one of the plurality of computerized user receiver devices.4. The computerized network apparatus of claim 3, wherein the at leastone computer program is further configured to, when executed on thedigital processor apparatus: transmit, via the first interface, at leasta portion of the data indicative of the communication channel to aninsertion process of the network, for insertion thereof by the insertionprocess within the digital program stream being accessed by theparticular one of the plurality of computerized user receiver devices.5. The computerized network apparatus of claim 4, wherein the indicationof the impending insertion opportunity within the digital program streambeing accessed by the particular one of the plurality of computerizeduser receiver devices comprises the liner addressable cue, the linearaddressable cue comprising a modified version of a Society of CableTelecommunications Engineers (SCTE)-35 compliant cue issued by a programnetwork entity that is the source of the digital program stream beingaccessed by the particular one of the plurality of computerized userreceiver devices.
 6. The computerized network apparatus of claim 5,wherein the communication channel comprises a radio frequency (RF) QAMchannel accessible to the particular one of the computerized userreceiver devices via a switched digital video (SDV) switching device ofthe content distribution network, and the insertion of the at leastportion of the data by the insertion process within the digital programstream being accessed by the particular one of the plurality ofcomputerized user receiver devices comprises insertion into a programmapping table (PMT) via a splicing process of the content distributionnetwork.
 7. The computerized network apparatus of claim 1, wherein: thecausation of the delivery of the one or more digitally renderedsecondary content elements at the one or more of the identifiedinsertion opportunities comprises replacement of at least one Society ofCable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE)-35 compliant cue with thelinear addressable cue, the linear addressable cue comprising one ormore fields with one or more values inserted therein; and the clientapplication is configured to utilize the one or more values to (i)identify the linear addressable cue and (ii) cause thelinear-addressable enabled device to effect the selective switching viathe utilization of the linear addressable cue.
 8. A computerized methodof delivering digitally rendered secondary content in a contentdistribution network, the computerized method comprising: identifyingone or more digitally rendered secondary content elements applicable toa target population of users of the content distribution network;identifying one or more insertion opportunities within digitallyrendered programming consumed by at least a portion of the targetpopulation; replacing at least one standardized cue associated with theone or more insertion opportunities with at least one linear addressablecue; causing delivery of the one or more digitally rendered secondarycontent elements at the one or more identified insertion opportunitiesvia selective switching; and causing one or more computerized receivingdevices of the target population to access the selectively switched oneor more digitally rendered secondary content elements for at least aperiod of time; wherein the at least one linear addressable cue isconfigured to cause the one or more computerized receiving devices toeffect the selective switching.
 9. The computerized method of claim 8,wherein the selective switching comprises switching the one or moredigitally rendered secondary content elements into delivery via aswitching apparatus disposed at a peripheral or edge distribution nodeof the content distribution network, the switching into deliveryoccurring substantially contemporaneous with a start of the identifiedone or more insertion opportunities.
 10. The computerized method ofclaim 9, wherein the switching the one or more digitally renderedsecondary content elements into delivery via the switching apparatusdisposed at the peripheral or edge distribution node of the contentdistribution network comprises switching the one or more digitallyrendered secondary content elements at an edge switch of a switcheddigital video (SDV) delivery architecture.
 11. The computerized methodof claim 8, wherein the target population comprises an individualsubscriber or subscriber premises of the content distribution network,and the identifying one or more digitally rendered secondary contentelements applicable to the target population comprises: accessing atleast a network-side repository of data for data relating to attributesof the individual subscriber or subscriber premises; and utilizing atleast the accessed data relating to attributes to correlate theattributes to corresponding aspects of the one or more digitallyrendered secondary content elements.
 12. The computerized method ofclaim 8, wherein the target population comprises an individualsubscriber or subscriber premises of the content distribution network,and the identifying of the one or more insertion opportunities withinthe digitally rendered programming consumed by the target populationcomprises receiving from a software or firmware component operative torun on a computerized receiving device of the individual subscriber orsubscriber premises, a communication indicating the one or moreinsertion opportunities within the consumed digitally renderedprogramming.
 13. The computerized method of claim 12, wherein thecausing of the one or more computerized receiving devices of the targetpopulation to access the selectively switched one or more digitallyrendered secondary content elements for at least the period of timecomprises transmitting a communication to respective software processesoperative on the one or more computerized receiving devices, thetransmitted communication based at least on the provided data andcausing the respective software processes to instigate a tune, at aprescribed time, from a current QAM (quadrature amplitude modulation)channel to another QAM channel, the another QAM channel carrying the oneor more digitally rendered secondary content elements.
 14. Computerreadable apparatus comprising a non-transitory storage medium, thenon-transitory medium comprising at least one computer program having aplurality of instructions, the plurality of instructions configured to,when executed on a digital processing apparatus: identify one or moredigitally rendered secondary content elements applicable to a targetpopulation of users of a content distribution network; identify one ormore insertion opportunities within digitally rendered programmingconsumed by at least a portion of the target population, the digitallyrendered programming delivered over a first modulated radio frequency(RF) channel; cause delivery of the one or more digitally renderedsecondary content elements at the one or more identified insertionopportunities via insertion of the one or more digitally renderedsecondary content elements onto a second modulated RF channel, andselective switching of one or more computerized receiving devices of theat least portion of the target population to the second modulated RFchannel, the selective switching invoked by identification of acustomized linear addressable cue by the one or more computerizedreceiving devices.
 15. The computer readable apparatus of claim 14,wherein: the identification of the one or more digitally renderedsecondary content elements applicable to the target population of usersof the content distribution network further comprises identification ofthe one or more computerized receiving devices associated withrespective ones of the target population via association data; and theplurality of instructions are further configured to, when executed onthe digital processing apparatus: cause, based at least one theassociation data, the one or more computerized receiving devices of theat least portion of the target population accessing the selectivelyswitched one or more digitally rendered secondary content elements toautomatically tune back to the first modulated RF channel to access thedigitally rendered programming after completion of the rendering of theone or more secondary content elements; and cause automatic removal ofdelivery of the one or more digitally rendered secondary contentelements from the second modulated RF channel.
 16. The computer readableapparatus of claim 14, wherein the plurality of instructions are furtherconfigured to, when executed on the digital processing apparatus:receive data from a network computerized process, the received datacomprising data indicative of the second modulated RF channel at whichthe one or more digitally rendered secondary content elements at the oneor more identified insertion opportunities are to be delivered, thenetwork computerized process controlled by an operator of the contentdistribution network.
 17. The computer readable apparatus of claim 16,wherein the receipt of the data from the network computerized process isperformed using an in-band RF channel of the content distributionnetwork.
 18. The computer readable apparatus of claim 16, wherein theplurality of instructions are further configured to, when executed onthe digital processing apparatus: receive second data indicative of atleast a computerized receiver device of a user of the contentdistribution network; and transmit at least a portion of the second datato a second network computerized process; wherein the second networkcomputerized process is configured to utilize the second data to accessa network account database, the network account database comprising aplurality of data relating to demographic factors associated with anaccount with which the computerized receiver device is associated. 19.The computer readable apparatus of claim 14, wherein the plurality ofinstructions are further configured to, when executed on the digitalprocessing apparatus: generate one or more audience segmentationprofiles, the one or more audience segmentation profiles comprising: (i)the received data indicative of the second modulated RF channel at whichthe one or more digitally rendered secondary content elements at the oneor more identified insertion opportunities are to be delivered, and (ii)one or more respective identifiers relating to the one or more digitallyrendered secondary content elements; wherein the one or more audiencesegmentation profiles are configured to enable the one or morecomputerized receiving devices of the at least portion of the targetpopulation to determine which of the one or more digitally renderedsecondary content elements to request.
 20. The computer readableapparatus of claim 14, wherein the selective switch of the one or morecomputerized receiving devices of the at least portion of the targetpopulation to access the one or more digitally rendered secondarycontent elements via the second modulated RF channel comprises access ofthe at least one API associated with the respective middleware of theone or more computerized receiving devices of the at least portion ofthe target population, the at least one API configured to cause the oneor more computerized receiving devices to utilize respective tuningapparatus thereof to tune to the second RF channel at the prescribedtime.
 21. The computer readable apparatus of claim 14, wherein thecustomized linear addressable cue comprises one or more fields with oneor more values inserted therein, the one or more values configured toidentify the customized linear addressable cue to one or more respectiveclient applications of the one or more computerized receiving devices asbeing a linear addressable cue.